The Hacker and the Veterinarian
by jbn42
Summary: Jyn Erso is independent, single, and content with her life, but her foster brother Bodhi is dead set on making sure she isn't alone. She goes to get a cat and winds up with something else. And a cat.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: OK, so yeah. Rogue One. Jyn/Cassian AU. Still working on other stuff for Poe/Rey.**

 **Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.**

"Why in the hell do I let you talk me into this stuff, Bodes?" Jyn sighs in frustration as she plunks herself down at the bar in the Falcon, a pub owned by a friend. She'd just lasted all of fifteen minutes on a disaster of a blind date. Tension radiates from her small 5'3" frame, her brown hair askew from the windy early-December evening, green eyes sparking with irritation.

"Because dating in New York is hard, Jyn, no matter how much bullshit 'Sex and the City' tried to sell people." Her best friend and foster brother, Bodhi, chuckles as he settles onto the barstool next to hers, with admittedly far more easy grace than Jyn can muster on a good day. Bastard. At 5'8" and lanky, Bodhi has the agility of a cat. He jokes with her that she's more like a compact, angry honey badger.

"I don't care. Tonight was an unmitigated disaster. You set me up with a vegan, Bodhi. It's a totally legitimate position, being vegan, that is, but considering that I wouldn't survive without greek yogurt, cheese, and, you know, meat, maybe not the best match for me!" She gives him an outraged look. "I mean, I'd never be able to go plow through a Peking Duck at Decoy with my boyfriend. That would just be wrong."

The reference to one of their favorite places in Greenwich Village seems to make Bodhi glaze over for a moment. "We have to go back there. Soon."

"Right? But without Vegan Boy. And he wanted me to try yoga. What about me says yoga?" Jyn fumes.

A voice in front of them makes them both look up. "Not a damned thing, Little One." The bartender is standing there, and he puts a gin and tonic in front of Bodhi and a Manhattan, straight up, in front of Jyn. He grins at them, and then he levels a look at Bodhi. "Seriously, kid, you set up this one with a vegan yoga guy? Miss Black Belt in Kickboxing and let me eat this steak the size of my head?"

Bodhi shrugs. "I'm running out of candidates, Lando."

"Bar snacks, Calrissian. Stat." Jyn sighs. Bodhi means well. Ever since he hooked up with his steady boyfriend, Luke Skywalker, the twin brother of the Falcon's owner's wife, he has been on a mission to get Jyn a boyfriend of her own.

Last summer, they'd moved out of their shared apartment, her going into a studio in the same building, him and Luke into a one bedroom. She loves Bodhi, and Luke is delightful, but when Bodhi wanted Luke to move in, she knew it was time. She needs her space, and the promotion she just got at work finally made having her own place financially viable. She works at a private security firm owned by the last foster parents she and Bodhi landed with.

Baze Malbus and Chirrut Imwe had been friends with their old social worker, a kind woman named Mon Mothma, who had sensed that Jyn and Bodhi needed a different kind of home. Mon had convinced them to get approved to foster, and they'd taken Jyn and Bodhi in fourteen years ago. Within a year, they'd both been adopted by the pair, Jyn then aged thirteen and Bodhi fifteen. Chirrut likes to joke that they failed as foster parents but did ok as "your two dads."

That had changed both of their lives. They got Jyn and Bodhi both into a private school that emphasized STEM. Jyn graduated early, at sixteen, which meant she and Bodhi graduated together. She went on to NYU to study Computer Science and then to get a Master's in Cybersecurity by the time she was twenty-three. She's been a hacker since high school, though, much to Chirrut's delight and Baze's consternation. She considered pursuing her Ph.D. In Computer Science, but she isn't sure she really wants to, given that she's now running the Cyber division for Chirrut and Baze's company, MI Security Consultants.

Bodhi also went to NYU, getting a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Aerospace, but he also is a licensed commercial pilot. Knowing that his passion was for the sky, something he found through therapy and an idea from Chirrut – he started taking flying lessons at fifteen. Two years ago, Chirrut and Baze found him a job as a private pilot for a very wealthy friend of theirs, Leia Organa – sister of Luke, Bodhi's boyfriend. Leia actually has two pilots, Bodhi and a woman named Shara Bey. Bodhi found the job when Shara went out on maternity leave, but they asked him to stay on and work with Shara.

Jyn sighs. She can feel Bodhi's eyes on her, and she says, "Bodhi, I know you mean well, but this was my last hurrah. No more blind dates."

Bodhi shakes his head. "Jynnie, you are the only single person left in our circle of friends. We all are just trying to help."

"I get that, Bodes," she frowns, "And I appreciate it. But I need to be able to find my own way. I need to find someone who can understand how I see the world. I don't trust people, Bodhi. You know that. I can count on one hand the number of people I truly trust. I'm happy right now. I'm OK. I have my job, my apartment, my friends. I'm not lonely. Can't you just let me be for a while? I'm only twenty-six, you know? I have time."

"Will you at least get a cat or something?" Bodhi wrings his hands together. His voice shakes as it drops. "You shouldn't be all alone."

Jyn frowns again, reaching over and covering Bodhi's hands with hers. Softly, she says, "Bodhi, breathe. I'm fine, I swear. Breathe."

He closes his eyes and breathes slowly, in and out. It breaks Jyn's heart. She and Bodhi landed in the same foster home back with she was eight and he was ten. For almost five years, they lived in the Bronx with a man named Saw Gererra. Both of them had lost their parents violently, and Bodhi had barely survived his experience.

Jyn dealt with it by picking fights and being openly disrespectful and distrustful of adults. Bodhi, on the other hand, would retreat mentally, anxiety draining him and making him hide from the world. He still occasionally has anxiety or panic attacks, and that affliction is what kept him from joining the military to become an Air Force pilot. It also made him struggle with focus, leading to him being held back in school for a year.

Saw had been the worst possible foster parent for them both. He railed at Bodhi for being weak and would egg on Jyn's antagonistic side. He also was incredibly unkind when he realized early on that Bodhi was gay. But, he didn't beat them or starve them or abuse them any way but emotionally, so their social worker before Mon Mothma knew that they were better off than a lot of the other kids in the system.

One day, Saw dumped them at an orphanage and disappeared. Jyn was twelve, Bodhi fourteen, but even though Bodhi was older and taller by inches already, Jyn would take on – and win – against anyone who challenged them or threatened Bodhi in any way. One day, a new social worker showed up, and from there, their lives changed. The soft-spoken but iron willed woman understood two things – they needed to stay together, and they needed a home where they'd be challenged but not pressured.

When Mon first introduced them to Chirrut and Baze, Jyn thought she was nuts. Bodhi was just terrified, and, in the middle of an introductory outing to Central Park, he had a full-on, system-shutdown panic attack. Jyn had tried to help him, but Chirrut was the one who managed it. He sat down with Bodhi, speaking softly and holding his hands, helping him center and manage through the episode.

The next day, Jyn and Bodhi moved into Chirrut and Baze's very cool three bedroom loft in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn, Jyn's first sign that this was probably a great thing for her and her brother. They'd been offered separate bedrooms, but Bodhi had paled at the idea. Jyn had quickly said that they wanted to be together. Bodhi's nightmares were relentless, and Jyn often spent the night with him in his bed, curled protectively around his lanky frame like a mama lion.

Chirrut and Baze hadn't argued; however, they also got them both into counseling almost immediately, Jyn very begrudgingly, and Bodhi on a course of anti-anxiety meds that changed his life. He learned to focus and his natural intelligence surfaced. Jyn was placed, based on her test scores and placement reviews, in the same class as Bodhi, something else that helped him survive. They took almost the exact same schedule until high school, when he focused on physics and her computers.

"Bodes, if me getting a pet will help you be OK with me not going on blind dates, that's a small price to pay." She squeezes his hands. "I'll get a cat if you promise no more vegan yogis."

That makes him snort, and after a moment, he opens his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Jynnie. It's just – it's you. And I need to know you're OK, and you know my head doesn't associate 'alone' with 'OK.'"

She sighs with relief, seeing that he's shaky but back to himself. "You never have to apologize to me for giving a shit, Bodhi Rook. You know that. No apologies allowed for it."

He nods, but she can see that he's still struggling slightly. She grabs her phone and sends a quick text, and then she motions to Lando. "Can I get some water for Bodhi, Lando?"

Lando knows them well at this point, and Jyn can see the concern coloring his expression. Jyn tries to covertly nod, but Bodhi quietly says, "Don't have a silent conversation about me like I'm not here, you two."

Jyn rolls her eyes. "Fine. Lando, Bodhi is OK, but no more booze. He needs to take a pill." She looks at Bodhi pointedly, and he nods, reaching into his pocket for the prescription meds that he keeps on him. He is to where he usually just needs beta-blockers, and she can see from the bottle that he's taking one now. After years of therapy, he was able to finish weaning off of his daily anti-anxiety meds two years ago.

They sit there quietly after that, him sipping at his water as the shaking in his hands subsides completely, her working on her Manhattan and the nachos Lando brought her. It's a quiet night, as Tuesdays often are. Lando wanders down to them and wipes down the bar, stealing nachos from Jyn's plate. She pretends to swat at him and then asks, "How long you hanging around this time, Lando?"

"Until the next job floats along, kid." Lando is a jazz pianist, and he plays mostly session work lately, as the trio he was with broke up last year. He's a friend of Han Solo's, the owner of the Falcon, and Han lets him work here whenever he needs to, which is often.

He also plays piano for Han's jazz brunches on Sunday, something Jyn, Bodhi, and Luke, Chirrut and Baze, Leia and Han, and the pilot Shara and her husband Kes often attend. Han is usually behind the bar on those days, and Shara and Kes usually bring their two-year-old son, Poe. The little boy is a handful, slipping away when people turn their heads, usually found when Han grouses about a toddler on the bar. Poe is not only an escape artist – he can also scale the bar in about five seconds flat.

Jyn and Bodhi actually love to babysit the wide-eyed, curly haired little hellion. He loves it when Bodhi holds him above his head, squealing and yelling, "Fly." The kid, in a word, has spirit. Jyn likes spirit.

She chats quietly with Lando for a while, her hand going to Bodhi's leg, patting gently. She learned long ago that simple touches help to ground and settle him. Luke knows to do the same when Bodhi has an attack, and Shara does too. But she says that he's never had one while flying, at least not that she can tell. But his job is part of why he fought to wean off of his SSRIs, a process that took well over a year.

The pub's door opens, and Jyn turns. The person at the door is shaking snow from his blond hair as he hangs his coat on the rack. His blue eyes catch her green, and she does her best to telegraph a thanks to the young man. He comes over to them, Bodhi turning as the man approaches. "Luke?"

He swings around to scowl at Jyn, but she just shrugs unrepentantly. "It was the right thing to do, Bodes."

Now that he's been seen, Luke goes to Jyn first, pressing a kiss to her cheek and whispering, "Thank you for texting me," in her ear.

She nods as he pulls back. "Thanks for coming, Luke."

Luke turns to Bodhi, who is glaring at both of them. Luke goes behind Bodhi, hugging around his waist and perching his chin on Bodhi's shoulder. "As if I'd want to be anywhere else."

After a moment, Bodhi relaxes into the embrace. Luke is good for Bodhi – he and Leia are both twenty-six, same as Jyn. They were raised apart for murky reasons Jyn doesn't quite follow. Leia ended up with a diplomat who became a senator and his wife, Luke with extended family in the midwest. After they reconnected several years ago, Luke moved to New York to go to medical school. He finished last year, and he is now a pediatric resident at Tisch Hospital on the East side. Given that he's as good with Poe as she and Bodhi are, she knows he'll be a great pediatrician one day.

Jyn drains her Manhattan, waving off Lando's offer of another one. He hands her a doggie bag of her favorite dessert, Key Lime Pie, and he waves her off as she had him when she pulls out her wallet. He winks at them. "Don't tell Han." She just grins and drops a ten in the tip jar.

She looks at Bodhi and Luke. Bodhi nods to her, forgiving her for getting Luke to come here instead of going home after his shift at the hospital. "I'm calling it a night, boys." She hops down, grabs her back pack, and offers Luke her stool. "Get Lando to feed you both, and then go home, OK?"

Luke agrees, and he turns to Lando, ordering a beer and some food for himself and Bodhi. Bodhi turns on his stool, hugging Jyn close. "I'm holding you to the cat thing."

She rolls her eyes, but she hugs him back. "I love you, big brother."

He squeezes her closer. "Love you, too, little sister. Thank you for getting him here." When she pulls back, she just nods and leans in, kissing his cheek.

She reaches over and squeezes Luke's shoulder. "Good night, Luke."

"Night, Jyn." He gives her a soft smile. "Thanks for the text."

"Anytime, Farm Boy." She winks at him. With a nod to Lando, she heads for the door, grabbing her coat on the way out. She shrugs into it and wraps her scarf around her neck. Going out into the early evening, she looks up at the sky. December snow is her favorite snow. It'll be Christmas in a few weeks, but this early snow shower, soft and quiet and making the city look bright and clean, at least now while the snow is fresh, is something she appreciates. By February, the snow will be pissing her off – but for now, she loves it.

She turns up 10th Avenue to walk the few blocks to their apartment building on West 29th near the High Line. It's cold, but she doesn't mind. She's tired in her heart, though. Bodhi worries her sometimes. She knows he still struggles with nightmares, and when Luke went to visit family back in the midwest in October, Bodhi actually slept over at her place. Even though they are only three floors apart in their building, for Bodhi, when the dreams start, it might as well be three miles. Even when it's just Luke working a night shift, Bodhi will show up, sometimes crashing on her small sofa, but more often just crawling into her bed with her.

Luckily, she'd dumped her last steady boyfriend over a year ago – she'd found out at Thanksgiving that he was banging a girl from his gym. Asshole. She gets to her building, and she lets herself in. The doorman approaches, nodding to her. She nods back, giving him a smile.

The building is fairly new and well-appointed. She and Bodhi shared a two-bedroom here until last year. Now she has her studio and Luke and Bodhi their one bedroom. It works for her. She can park her car here, and she feels safe. Bodhi parks his car here, too, and Luke has a motorcycle that he uses to go back and forth to the hospital.

She smiles to herself as she gets in the elevator to her unit, up on a high floor. She knows it's weird that they all drive in the city, but Bodhi works out of a small airport across the river in New Jersey, and Jyn's office is in midtown, a rare office space with parking available. It's one of the perks she's happy to accept as the daughter of the owners of the company.

She unlocks her door, and the silence is oddly comforting to her. She truly appreciates it, to be honest. The space she has is small but efficient, a nice kitchen, full bath, the luxury of an in-unit washer/dryer, a decent living area, and a tiny sleeping alcove. She has a dresser, a platform double bed, and a single nightstand in there, with little room to move. But the platform bed has drawers all the way around, storage being at a premium. It's full of her sweaters and bed linen, and it's a highly functional space.

She can admit that it's sometimes a little too quiet, though. After all those years with Chirrut, Baze, and Bodhi, the silence can be overwhelming. She changes into a t-shirt and PJ pants, checks the heat, and seeing that it's set at a decent level, puts the pie in the fridge, grabs a bottle of water, and climbs into bed with her laptop. She flips on the small TV that is perched on the dresser, letting an old sci fi movie play in the background as she reviews a new encryption protocol they're working on for a client.

Her concentration isn't there, though, so she eventually sets the computer aside, turning off the lights and clicking off the TV. She snuggles into her pillows, looking out her uncovered window at the falling snow. She's high up, over twenty stories, but she can still see the flakes fluttering down, a tiny amount accumulating on her windowsill. She knows she should get up and close the blinds, that the light from them will wake her up early tomorrow morning, but she doesn't, instead watching the snow fall until sleep takes her.

######

Pushing open the door to the ASPCA Adoption Center on the upper east side of Manhattan, Cassian Andor shakes the snow from his black hair. He has on a blue parka with a fuzzy hood that a friend loves to make fun of, but he's warm and doesn't care. It's a bit of a jaunt up here to the shelter, but volunteering here on the weekends makes him feel good.

His friend Kay Tuesso, a statistician for a huge investment bank down on Wall Street, does not understand why he spends his Saturday mornings this way. He doesn't know how to explain it to Kay – the man may be many things, but altruistic and sentimental are not on the list. When he and Kay were roommates at Cornell, him in Vet school and Kay getting his Ph.D. In Statistics, they'd found common ground in their lack of family. With Kay, though it's not easy to find much other common ground.

Kay was an only child, with only his mother left; but his mother lives abroad and is apparently not at all interested in her son. Kay doesn't seem to care. For Cassian, his parents have been gone since he was fourteen, and his only sibling, a younger sister, died of leukemia when she was five and Cassian was eight. Born in Mexico City to a wealthy family, his parents had been killed in a kidnap scheme gone wrong. His only close relative had been his aunt who lived on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He'd visited her a few times while growing up, but at fourteen, he'd been sent here to live with her.

He's gone back to Mexico many times over the years, but he became a US citizen a few years ago, and he likes the energy of New York. His aunt passed three years ago, and he was stunned to find out that there was a trust fund for him. It wasn't huge, but he realized that it was what his aunt had used to pay for his schooling, both the high school he'd attended here, his undergrad degree at Columbia, and his DVM from Cornell, which he finished the year she passed.

There was enough left for him from both the trust fund and from what his aunt left him to buy a nice apartment and to set up his veterinary practice down in Chelsea. He's lucky as hell. Many of his peers from Vet school have school debt and no capital. It's part of what drives him here on the weekends – gratitude and wanting to pay it forward. He's wearing an ASPCA hoodie over his volunteer t-shirt. Though they know he's a vet (and he helps when there's an emergency), the shelter lets him work with prospective pet owners because it's what he enjoys.

He had a dog with his aunt, but the old guy died shortly before his aunt. Cassian keeps thinking he needs to get a pet for himself, but for now, at least, he finds himself happy alone. That is the one thing about him that Kay does understand. Honestly, after losing his parents the way he did and also losing his baby sister, he can be too broody and wary for most people.

Cassian goes out into the area with the cats, and he notes that there is a new cat in an enclosure towards the back of the space. It's solid black with sparkling green eyes, small and sleek. Given its size, Cassian is surprised to note that the little female, despite her size, is about a year old. He sighs. Black cats can be hard to adopt out. People think they're bad luck. The little cat bats at his hand when he reaches for her, and she gives him a cranky squawk when he scritches her ears despite the warning. After a moment, though, she seems to realize that he won't hurt her, and she relaxes. He thinks to himself that if the little girl isn't in a new home by the following Saturday, he'll adopt her himself.

Over the next few hours, many people parade in and out of the space, many going home with new friends for their family. The little girl cat in the back spends most of that time hiding in the back of her enclosure, and when she does come out, it's to hiss and bat at the small children who reach for her.

It's nearing the end of his shift when a small woman and a lanky man come in. She looks reluctant to be here, but the man is grinning. He heads straight for an enclosure of kittens. The woman smiles indulgently at the man, and then she wanders towards the adult cats. Cassian likes that. Kittens are far easier to adopt out than grown cats. The woman, who Cassian notes is beautiful, with medium brown hair and bright green eyes contrasted against pale skin, cheeks pink from the cold outside, moves from enclosure to enclosure.

As the friendlier cats wander up in curiosity, the woman keeps moving until she gets to the small black cat's space. The little cat peers out from the bed in the corner, and Cassian is intrigued that the shy, standoffish girl is the one that draws the woman's attention. The man she came in with calls something to her, referring to her as "little sister," and she nods in agreement. Cassian is annoyed with himself when he realizes that the endearment made him relax a little.

He mentally scolds himself that he's here to help the shelter, not to pick up women (not that he spends much time on the latter – his last serious girlfriend was when he was at Columbia). Nevertheless, he follows the woman, going up to her and saying, in still pretty heavily accented though perfect English, "Miss, do you want to look at any of the cats?"

She looks up in surprise, and her eyes take his breath away. They're even prettier up close. She motions to the enclosure with her head. "What's the story on this one?" He picks up a faint British accent from her, though no where near as heavy as his own accent.

He'd read the cat's file after meeting her earlier. "She was owned by an elderly woman who passed away. She's new." He smiles at her, his hair falling into his eyes a little. He nervously brushes it back. "She's a little standoffish, but if you're gentle with her, she seems pretty sweet. You just have to show her that you won't hurt her."

The woman nods. She carefully extends her hand, and the cat shrinks back, her little ears flattening against her head. Instead of pushing forward, though, the woman turns her hand and holds it out, palm up. She occasionally rubs her fingertips together softly, but she doesn't push otherwise. Cassian is impressed. After a minute or so, the little cat edges out of the bed and cautiously moves towards the woman's hand, sniffing delicately. The woman moves very slowly, clearly not wanting to scare the tiny creature.

A moment later, the cat meows softly and head-butts the woman's hand. Cassian looks at the woman in amazement. She has a small smile on her face as she continues to move slowly, scratching the side of the little cat's face. Softly, Cassian says, "You're the first person to take the time to try with her today."

"How old is she? She's so tiny?" The woman is right. The cat probably weighs five pounds soaking wet.

"One, and yes, she's definitely on the small side. But she's healthy." He assures her honestly, wanting this woman to take this cat. It's just a feeling he has, but it feels like it's meant to be. "You can pick her up if she lets you." That makes the woman quirk a smile, and he cocks his head at her. "What?"

She shrugs lightly, looking up at him. At 5'10", he's not extremely tall, but he notices that he probably has seven inches on her. The smile is still there on her face. "I like how you phrased that – not that I can pick her up if I want to, but that I can pick her up if she lets me. I like that you gave the decision to her."

He brushes his hair back again, nodding. "Animals deserve respect just like humans do."

She nods but doesn't say anything, instead reaching her other hand slowly towards the little cat. The cat meows softly, but she doesn't back away, allowing the woman to pick her up. A grin blooms on the woman's face as she snuggles the tiny cat close to her chest. The cat settles in, purring loudly. Cassian, in three years volunteering here, has never flirted with a woman looking for a pet (though more than a few have flirted with him), but he can't stop himself from saying, "I'm Cassian Andor, by the way. And that was amazing."

She smiles up at him. "I'm Jyn Erso."

He nods and smiles again. "It's very nice to meet you, Jyn Erso."

######

Jyn blinks up at the tall man (or at least tall to her) in the ASPCA sweatshirt, volunteer badge on a lanyard around his neck. Usually, she's wary of strangers, but he has been polite and helpful. There's also something soft in his eyes that makes her feel at ease. He's a little scruffy, but that's what she likes. He has a mostly neat mustache and goatee, but his hair is long on top, falling adorably into his chocolate brown eyes. She blinks again, thinking, "Where the hell did that come from, Erso?"

"Miss Erso, are you all right?" She must have a funny look on her face, because the man, Cassian, looks concerned.

She swallows hard. "I'm good. And please, it's just Jyn, Mr. Andor."

He motions to himself. "Doctor, actually, but really, just Cassian."

"Cassian." She nods, focusing on the purring cat. "I think this one likes me."

"I think she does. Do you want to sit with her?" He motions to a space in the corner set up for people to get to know prospective pets.

Jyn nods, and she's pleased when he follows her to the small area. She sits on the floor and puts the cat down, and then she looks up at him. "You can sit too, if you want to."

He grins, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and Jyn actually feels her stomach flip over a little. She notices Bodhi watching them wide-eyed as he cuddles a fuzzy black and white kitten, and he lifts an eyebrow at her. She gives him a stern look before turning back to the man now sitting cross-legged on the floor with her. He's scratching the little cat's ears, softly speaking Spanish to her.

Cocking her head, Jyn asks, "What kind of doctor?"

He looks up at her with a smile. "Vet."

Jyn nods. "I probably should have guessed that. That was Spanish, right?"

"Yes, sorry. I was born in Mexico City, lived there until I was fourteen. I still slip into it a lot." He looks a little sheepish.

"No reason to apologize. It's cool that you've retained it." She picks up a stick that has a bit of line and a feather attached to it, dragging it in front of the cat. The cat shoots after it, making them both laugh.

He looks at her. "Do you think you might take her?"

She nods. "I think I might. My brother over there," she motions to Bodhi with her head, "Isn't going to let me leave without a companion. I think it's his mission in life right now."

Cassian chuckles. "Did you do the application form online?"

"Yes, on Wednesday. I'm already approved." She smiles. "Is your office near here?"

He shakes his head. "No. I'm actually down in Chelsea. I just volunteer here on Saturdays when I can to help the shelter out."

"Chelsea? I'm at the north end of Chelsea." She blinks in surprise, and, without thinking, she asks, "Do you want to be her vet for me?"

He grins. "Where do you live?"

"West 29th near the High Line." She can't believe she said that – she never tells people where she lives.

"Are you kidding?" He grins again. "I'm on West 23rd between 10th and 11th. My office is at West 26th and 8th." They lock eyes for a moment before he blushes lightly, saying, "She still needs to be spayed – her first owner never did it. They were going to do that Monday. You could take her home by some time next week if you want to."

The little cat is still chasing the feather, and Jyn nods. "I do." She scoops up the little cat again. "Does she already have a name?"

"She might have, but sadly, the people who dropped her off didn't tell us what it was. I think we're calling her Jasmine, but you can name her whatever you want." He reaches out and scratches the cat's ears again.

Jyn thinks for a moment, then something pops into her head. "Kyber!"

Cassian appears to think for a moment, and then he snorts. "Like the cryptocurrency?"

She blinks in surprise. "Why do you know what Kyber is?"

He shrugs and stands, holding a hand out to her to help her up. She takes it and lets him pull her to her feet, the little cat in her other arm. He explains, "My grad school roommate has a Ph.D. in Statistics and works for a major international investment bank down on Wall Street, and he loves to rattle on about stuff no one else will listen to him talk about. Why do you know what it is?"

"Hacker." She grins. At his wide-eyed expression, she laughs. "OK, reformed hacker. Now I run the cyber division of a security consulting firm."

He shakes his head, laughing too. "Kyber suits her. I like it."

Bodhi wanders up to them. He is still holding the kitten, and Jyn knows that Luke is about to be surprised with a fuzzy new roommate. Bodhi holds out his free hand to Cassian. "Bodhi Rook. Jyn's brother."

Cassian looks between them, but he doesn't comment on how different she and Bodhi look. He takes Bodhi's hand and shakes it. "Cassian Andor. Veterinarian and volunteer."

"Nice to meet you, Cassian." Bodhi grins and then leers a little at Jyn.

She just rolls her eyes. "So, how is Luke going to feel about you bringing home a kitten?"

Bodhi shrugs. "He told me to. He knew I probably would anyway, so he just gave me permission if I found one that I liked."

Jyn smiles up at Cassian. "So, that's two new patients for you. We live in the same building."

######

Cassian returns the smile, his eyes crinkling again. "The more the merrier." He then leads them to the counter. They make arrangements to come pick up the two cats the following week, and after they finish their paperwork and pay the adoption fees, Bodhi says that he's stepping out to call Luke. It's the end of Cassian's shift anyway, so he grabs his backpack and parka. He wants to walk out with Jyn and is dying to ask her if she has a boyfriend or not.

To his happy surprise, she is waiting for him at the desk when he comes out to leave. She also makes things easy for him as they leave the adoption center. "Cassian? Do you know where the Falcon is? The pub on 10th?"

He nods. "Sure. I've been there a few times. Decent food."

"I'll be there tonight. With Bodhi and his boyfriend? And maybe some other friends? I mean, you know, if you wanted to –"

She fumbles the words, and it's the most charming thing he's seen in a while. "What time?"

"Eight?" Her cheeks are bright pink. He kind of hopes that it's about him instead of the cold.

"I'll be there." He grins. He has seriously smiled more today than he has in the last week. He's not entirely sure what to make of that, but he can't remember the last time he connected with someone the way he has with her. The fact that she lives six blocks away from him truly blows his mind.

"Great!" She turns even pinker, and he knows that's about him.

From behind her, he hears Bodhi yell, "Jynnie, it's freezing! At least give me the keys while you flirt with the cute vet!"

At that point, it's Cassian's turn to blush. Jyn turns and looks at her brother. "Shut up, Bodhi, or I'll leave your ass here."

Cassian snorts, and he notes that the car is awesome – a MINI Countryman, British Racing Green with white mirrors and white stripes on the hood. "I like your car."

She smiles. "Thanks. It's a lot of fun."

After a moment, he says, "So, see you tonight?"

"Yeah." She leans up and presses a quick kiss to his cheek. "Thank you for helping me with Kyber."

He knows that he has a rather stupid, dazed smile on his face, but he tries to smoothly reply, "Any time."

"Tonight, then." He nods and turns to start his ten minute walk to the subway, when her voice makes him look back. "Cassian, you're not a vegan, are you?"

He shakes his head. "No. Not a vegan. God, no."

"Into yoga?" She looks murderously at Bodhi as he bursts out laughing. She unlocks the car and points at it for Bodhi to get in, which he does, still laughing.

Cassian gives her a confused look as he says, "No. Not really. I'm more of a running and weights kind of guy."

"Oh thank God," she breathes out, then gives him another bright smile. "OK. Tonight at 8. We're going to go clean out Petco now."

Chuckling and thinking that he can't wait to hear about why she asked him about yoga and being vegan, he waves. "Have fun, and see you tonight."

With that, she waves back and jumps in the little car. As they pull out of the lot, he has that same stupid smile on his face. He barely feels the cold as he walks to the subway, glad as hell that he was here today.

 **Author's Note: So, I can't decide if that should be the end or if I should continue...preferences? : )**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Continued at multiple requests. There will be at least one more chapter after this. It does get a little angsty here and there, and the language is coarse once or twice – just a warning.**

 **Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.**

Jyn stares at the reflection in the mirror in her bathroom. She's actually making an effort tonight, something that Bodhi might hug her for, but that the others might use as ammunition. If it hadn't taken so damned long to achieve, she'd wipe off the foundation and the subtly winged eyeliner and go fresh-faced as usual.

She's also wearing a black mini skirt (but on her it just looks short, because, well, she is short), tights, a fitted turtleneck sweater in a dark green that she knows brings out her eyes, black knee-high boots with a three-inch heel, and her hair in an updo that looks soft and messy but took half an hour to construct. She's anxious in a way she hasn't been in literally years, and she's kicking herself for not getting Cassian's number – right now, she'd love to text him to meet her anywhere but the Falcon, with no friends around, so that she could actually talk to him.

She sighs, applying a little lip gloss and looking at herself in the mirror one more time. "Good enough."

Her phone beeps with a text from Bodhi that they're ready and will meet her down in the lobby, so she shrugs into a black leather coat (thankful that the snow has stopped so she can forgo the bulky parka), twines a green and black wool scarf around her neck, and pulls on her black leather gloves. She shoves a hat in her pocket for the walk home tonight, but she won't wear it now, wanting to not mess up her hair.

She grabs her phone and small black bag on her way out, checking herself in the mirror one last time, satisfied that she looks nice and maybe a little sexy without looking like she's trying too hard. When she gets down to the building lobby, Bodhi and Luke both stare at her in disbelief. Bodhi speaks first. "Jyn you look…"

Bodhi trails off, and Luke finishes for him. "Like a girl! A pretty girl!"

Scowling, Jyn gives them both a hard look. "What is that supposed to mean? What do I usually look like?"

They both fumble for a moment, both appearing to realize that they were less than kind in their assessment. She just rolls her eyes, zips up her coat, and heads out of their building. She hears them scrambling after her, but she strides on ahead. She knows they didn't mean anything by what they said, but she's already nervous. She didn't need anything on top of that.

"Jynnie," Bodhi calls, and she glances back to see that Luke is staying behind them while Bodhi tries to catch up with her, "Please, Jyn, I'm sorry."

She stops walking and lets him draw even with her. Softly, she says, "I really like him, Bodhi. I don't remember the last time I liked someone this way, and I'm scared of it. It's safer to be alone. Just like you think alone is not OK, I think needing someone makes me vulnerable. It's hard for me to let people in."

"Wow." She looks up at Bodhi, who is looking down at her thoughtfully. "I just thought you thought he was hot."

"Well, he is. But no, this isn't about that. There was just something about him, Bodhi." She sighs. "I'm not like this. I'm not sentimental. I don't know how to do this." She looks down at the ground.

"Hey," he says, standing in front of her and using two fingers under her chin to tip her face up to look at him. "You do you, Jynnie. He liked you. It was visible. You didn't see his face when you kissed his cheek. I seriously thought he was going to faint, and I mean that in a good way. And not about sex – the word I would use is smitten. He was completely smitten."

Jyn scoffs, but Bodhi isn't having it. "Seriously, Jyn. He was majorly in to you. I swear."

Sighing again, she tries to smile. "OK, OK. I believe you."

He offers her his arm and motions to Luke with his head. She links her arm through his, and as Luke joins them, Bodhi says, "Chin up, little sister. You've got this."

Luke grins and gets on the other side of her as they start walking again. Even with her boots, Bodhi and Luke both still have a couple of inches on her, so she feels vaguely like she's walking down the street with two bodyguards. She's oddly charmed by that, especially when Luke's hand brushes hers occasionally. She's warmed by the thought that she now seems to have two brothers instead of one.

When they get to the Falcon, it's only about 7:40. Luke holds the door for her and Bodhi, and they go in, pulling off gloves and scarves and shoving them into jacket pockets. She sees Shara and Kes at a large group of tables towards the back. Leia is at the bar talking to Lando, who, as usual, is flirting while Han glowers behind her. Jyn is surprised to note that they have enough chairs for ten. Even with Cassian, this group should only be eight. She turns and levels a look at Bodhi. "Why do they have ten chairs? Please tell me they had Poe and a babysitter here or something."

Bodhi blushes and kicks at an invisible speck of dirt on the floor. Luke passes them, squeezing Bodhi's shoulder as he goes by. "Told you to tell her, hon." He takes Jyn's and Bodhi's coats and Jyn's bag and kisses Bodhi's cheek before going to join Shara and Kes at the tables.

"Tell me what, Bodhi?" She crosses her arms over her chest after pocketing her phone, pinning him with her eyes.

The door to the pub opens again, and a booming voice says, "Little One!" Before Jyn can say anything, she's lifted off her feet and enveloped in a hug. It's so tight that she actually squeaks.

The man puts her down immediately, and evenly, she says, "Baze."

"And me too!" Chirrut appears from behind Baze, coming straight to her and hugging her too, though far more gently.

After hugging him back, Jyn looks at Bodhi. "Bodhi, what the hell?"

"I didn't mean to tell them. But Jyn, you never like anyone! And you liked a guy! And you asked him out! I had to tell them or I was going to burst." Bodhi goes wide-eyed (or maybe just more wide-eyed, given his usual resting facial expression), and he's so earnest that she just rolls her eyes.

She turns to her dads. "You two will behave. If you do not, so help me, I will take him by the hand and be gone. You will not torture him or me. Are we clear?"

Chirrut chuckles while Baze just snorts and says, "We'll see," and lumbers towards the tables.

Chirrut puts a calming hand on her arm, and, not for the first time, she wonders if the man is just made of lavender, one of the only scents that serves to settle her down. She sighs. "Chirrut, please. Make him be nice."

"This is important to you, isn't it, Little One?" Chirrut's voice is as measured and light as always. "You're nervous, and you are never nervous."

"It is, Chirrut." She covers his hand on her arm with his. "Please don't let Baze be too hard on Cassian, OK?"

"I'll do my best, Little One." He leans in, pressing a quick kiss to her temple. When he leans back, he puts a hand on her lower back and guides her towards the tables. "I like the new lotion. Roses, right?" He navigates deftly around people and chairs and tables despite not being able to see a thing, something that still amazes her.

She laughs lightly and shakes her head. "Yes." She veers away from him. "I'm going to go grab a glass of wine from Lando, OK?"

He chuckles. "No, you're going to go wait for your young man without all of us looming."

She kisses Chirrut's cheek. "That too."

She heads to the bar, perching on a stool. Lando comes down right away. "What'll it be tonight, kid?"

"Do you still have that Claret from last week?" She grins.

"I do. Be right back, kid." Lando moves away and comes back a moment later with the glass of red wine.

Activity in the popular pub is picking up, so as it approaches eight, she stops turning every time the door opens. At almost exactly eight, she smells cedar and incense and feels a presence looming behind her, and she turns as the pub door opens and closes. "Baze, go back to the damned tables." The door to the pub opens and closes twice more as she pokes the large man in the chest.

"Who's going to make me leave?" He smirks at her, crowding her a bit. Baze can be such an ass when he wants to. "You, Little One? Dressed like that? I'm pretty sure you can't take me in that skirt."

She's about to retort when an accented voice says levelly, "Leave the lady alone, please. Now."

She blinks in surprise and turns, about to kindly but sternly chastise her want-to-be knight in shining armor. She gasps softly when she sees that it's Cassian. Damn. She only thought he was attractive in old jeans, hiking boots, and a hoodie, hair hanging in his puppy dog eyes. Now, in a deep burgundy dress shirt, dark khakis, and a well-worn but obviously also very well-made leather jacket, hair combed back out of his eyes, he looks dangerously good.

Speaking of dangerous, he also looks like he's about to take a swing at Baze, his eyes stormy, all of his gentle ease from this morning gone. He is downright menacing, and yet it doesn't scare her at all. In fact, it just intrigues her more.

"Wait," she says, holding up a hand, but Baze turns and lifts an eyebrow at Cassian.

"Who is going to make me, pup? You?" Baze laughs derisively, and she kicks out, tapping him in the back of the knee. It has the desired effect. Baze's knee buckles, and his tough demeanor crumbles. "Ow. Damn it, Little One, that was a dirty shot! Don't you know that's my bad knee?"

Jyn jumps down, landing on Baze's foot for good measure, making him grunt. "Of course I know, you jackass. You hurt it the first time I truly kicked your butt when I was sixteen." She turns to Cassian who still looks wary but now also confused. "I'm sorry, Cassian. This is Baze Malbus, one of my dads."

He lifts an eyebrow but doesn't comment. He looks down at her, his expression softening. "Hi."

She smiles, her nose crinkling. "Hi."

Baze grabs a beer for himself and a green tea for Chirrut from Lando and looks at Cassian. "You pass, by the way."

"Pass?" Cassian quirks his eyebrow again as Lando rolls his eyes and goes to help another customer.

Baze nods. "Yes. You tried to protect her – though I'll tell you now that there may not be a man in this place who could take her in a fair fight – but anyone who tries to protect a woman they've known less than a day, especially when that woman is my little girl, is OK in my book. I'm Baze, as she said."

"Cassian," he says tightly, nodding back and watching bemusedly as the man walks back to a set of large tables.

######

Shaking his head at the last two minutes, Cassian replays them quickly in his head to make sure he didn't miss anything he should have noticed. He'd entered the Falcon and scanned the bar, looking for Jyn. His eyes found her quickly, but he'd frozen when he saw a bear of a man looming behind her. When she'd poked at him in irritation and he'd just moved closer, Cassian had been across the room in an instant, all of his protective instincts kicking in immediately, especially when he heard what the man said.

She takes his hand, squeezing it and drawing him back to the present. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?" He cocks his head at her.

"For Baze. For the teasing that is likely to ensue momentarily. For Chirrut, my other dad, who will ask seemingly innocuous questions and get you to share shit you have never shared with anyone because that's just what he does, the bastard. For Bodhi for calling them. For Han and Kes for probably making bets right in front of us about when we'll hook up, for Leia sizing you up. Shara and Luke will be fine, though, because they're not assholes." She babbles on, and he is utterly charmed again.

He laughs softly. "Bella, stop. It's fine." He blinks, cursing himself for calling her that.

She just smiles, though, and is clearly about to say something when another voice pops in. "Anything for your new fellow here, kid? Bodhi was right. He's really good looking."

Cassian's eyes widen, and Jyn drops her face into her palm. "And that's Lando. Sorry for him, too."

At this point, he's completely amused, and he's also half jealous of the community of friends and family Jyn clearly has. He has Kay and a few distant friends from school. That's it. He nods to Lando, ignoring the observation about his looks. "If that's her red wine, I'll just have what she's having."

"You just want the bottle, kids?" Lando smirks.

At that, Jyn huffs out an irritated breath. "Yes we do, old man."

"Hey, I'm only 7 years older than you!" Lando protests as he grabs the bottle and pours the second glass.

Jyn stalks close to the bar, first passing the new glass to Cassian, then snatching the bottle and her own glass. "Then stop calling us kids, Methuselah."

Cassian snorts. Dios mío, he likes this woman. She looks up at him, her nostrils flaring lightly. She then drains her wine glass. She takes a deep breath and refills it as he looks on, astounded. She grins. "You may want to do the same if you want to face that pack of jackals." She motions towards the large table at the back.

He blinks, looks at the table, sees eight sets of eyes watching them intently, and he realizes that she may be right. He takes a deep breath and drains is glass, too. When he's done, she refills his glass. "Good?"

"Yes. Both me and the wine, which didn't suck. What is that?" He grins.

"A Coppola Claret. Lando gives it to me on the house. Han doesn't know that yet. If he pisses me off tonight, we're getting a second bottle. Maybe a third. You can smuggle it out under your jacket. It's looser than mine." She looks downright devious. He's way beyond taken with her at this point. And damn, she looks stunning. The green sweater makes her eyes sparkle, and he can tell she made an effort with her makeup. The idea that it was likely for him makes him warm up inside.

Before she turns to go to the table, he catches her arm gently. "Hey, Jyn?"

She turns back and looks up at him again. "Yes?"

"You look beautiful." He leans down lightly kisses her cheek as she had his earlier.

She blushes, but she replies, "You clean up really well too." She blinks, then, and she puts her glass and the bottle back down on the bar, grabbing her phone from her skirt pocket. "What's your number?"

He bites his lower lip and then rattles off his number. She dials it on her phone, and a moment later, his phone dings with a text message. He pulls it out and laughs out loud. All it says is, "You know I'm going to steal that jacket one day, right?"

She winks at him, re-pockets her phone, grabs her glass and the wine bottle, and she heads for the table. He follows her, shaking his head and chuckling. When they get to the table, she directs him to a chair that's open next to a woman she introduces as "Shara Bey, great pilot, mother of Poe – the cutest toddler in the history of toddlers – and wife of Kes Dameron. Two out of three ain't bad."

Shara cackles and shakes Cassian's hand, but the man next to her, who he correctly guesses is Kes, protests indignantly. Thus go the introductions. Each of her friends save Shara and the man she introduces as Luke get affectionately roasted in some way.

He mentally notes it all; Kes, father of aforementioned cutest toddler ever but obnoxious drunk; Han Solo, jackass but good to Leia; Leia Organa, nosy as hell but means well and has great connections for things like Giants tickets; Bodhi Rook, also great pilot, best brother ever but snores like a freight train (confirmed loudly by Luke); Luke Skywalker, twin brother of Leia and pediatric resident who puts up with the snoring; Baze Malbus, aggressive Dad who cares a lot but does annoying shit just to mess with people; Chirrut Imwe, less-aggressive Dad, nosier than Leia, but the kindest heart she knows. He can tell that the last person, Chirrut, is also blind. He likes that Jyn didn't use that as part of his description.

When she finishes, they're all laughing, and Bodhi, sitting on her other side, gives her a look. He then looks over Jyn's head at Cassian and says, "And that's Jyn Erso. Aggressive when challenged, black belt in kickboxing, likes reality TV for God's sake, especially Top Chef and The Amazing Race, mostly terrible cook, but the most fiercely protective and loving foster sister a fucked-up kid like me could've hoped for."

Cassian looks down at Jyn. She says, "You don't have to, Cassian."

He shrugs. "Cassian Andor, veterinarian, born and raised mostly in Mexico City, no family left to speak of, usually a broody loner type, also likes reality TV, secret dream is to go on The Amazing Race and kick everyone's ass because I can read a map, skydive, know how to swim and drive a stick, and can speak five languages, usually like animals better than people, and only good friend is basically a human computer with no social skills."

They all grin, and Shara leans over and squeezes his shoulder. "Oh dear. You're going to fit right in, aren't you?" She says it almost like she's offering condolences.

He looks at her, and he realizes that the woman is stunning but also may have the kindest, most expressive eyes he's ever seen (except for maybe on Bodhi). He just smiles and shrugs again. With that, the group settles in, getting a bunch of food to share and talking. After about an hour, during which Cassian finds out that Kes's family is Guatemalan and Shara's Cuban, which leads to the three of them conversing in rapid-fire Spanish, Jyn keeps shifting closer to him. Thirty minutes in, her hand finds his.

It's the most unconventional first date he's ever been on, but it occurs to him that conventional hasn't really worked out, so why the hell not roll with unconventional? At about ten, Chirrut, Baze, Kes, and Shara all call it a night. Kes and Shara have to get home to their son and let their babysitter, a teenager from the apartment next door to theirs, get home. Chirrut and Baze call an Uber and cite being old.

By eleven, Leia and Han eventually drift away, and Luke and Bodhi do too, saying Luke has a shift at his hospital tomorrow afternoon, Jyn rolling her eyes as Bodhi makes Cassian promise to walk Jyn home. Eventually, it's just him and Jyn. She looks up at him. "There's a coffee shop up 10th, on the way to my building, that's open late. Want to get out of here?"

He nods. "Yeah. That works. Do we need to do anything about the bill?"

She shakes her head. "Leia got it. We all feed people at Baze and Chirrut's a couple of times a month to make up for it. She's loaded, and Han owns the bar. I fought it at first, but it's not worth it. Taking care of people makes her happy."

Cassian doesn't love it, but he understands. "Then you're letting me buy you coffee." He lifts an eyebrow at her.

######

She knows she's a goner for him, because instead of bristling as she usually would, she just nods and smiles, letting him help her slip her leather coat on. She waves to Han and Lando on their way out, and she guesses that Leia is sacked out in Han's office, as she often does on Saturday nights. As they walk out into the cold night, Cassian's hand lands protectively on her lower back. After a moment, he says, "Was Baze telling the truth? You could've taken just about any one in there in a fair fight?"

She shrugs. "He probably overstated a bit, but yeah, I really do have a black belt in kickboxing, and I'm working on Aikido now. When Bodhi and I ended up in the same foster home when I was eight and he was ten, I was pissed at the world, and Bodhi was retreating from it." She stops walking and looks up at him.

She wants him to hear this, wants him to understand. If he's going to run for the hills, she'd rather it be now as opposed to in six months or six years. "I figured out fast that our foster father was a bastard, and he would be cruel to the weak kids. Bodhi was one of those, and I wasn't having it. I'd yell back at Saw, get in fights at school to draw focus from Bodhi, whatever I could do. That's how we survived almost five years with Saw."

They're near the coffee shop, so they go in and get two cappuccinos and find a quiet booth in the back. She wraps her hands around her cup. He looks at her and says, "Jyn, you don't have to tell me anything else unless you want to or even need to. I'm good with listening, but I am not demanding that you spill."

She takes a sip of her coffee. "Cassian, me and Bodhi were both pretty messed up. I was an aggressive, over-protective little shit, and Bodhi had a debilitating anxiety disorder. He's better now, but there were some dark years. Until Baze and Chirrut took us in and eventually adopted us. They saved our lives."

"What happened to your parents?" Jyn looks down at her coffee, and he quickly adds, "I'm sorry, Jyn, you don't have to talk about it. God knows I understand."

She looks up sharply at that. "What do you mean you understand?"

He shrugs a little. "Trust me, Jyn. I probably have a lot more in common with you than you expect. I was lucky that my Dad's sister was here in New York for me to be sent to, but still. I understand."

He goes silent, and she looks at him as he focuses on a point over her shoulder, almost like a mask descending. The implication of his words set in. That along with the detached look on his face scratches at a place in her heart, makes it ache, and it just won't do. She eyes him for a moment and then says, "Come on."

He blinks and looks at her as she stands up and holds out a hand to him. "Jyn, where are we going?"

"Do you have any plans for tomorrow? Anywhere you have to be in the morning?" She asks the questions as he finally takes her hand and lets her pull him to his feet.

"No. I mean football. American football. That's all I usually do on Sundays in the fall and winter. Watch football and do laundry." He gives her a half-smile, half-grimace. "Welcome to my crazy life."

She grins at that. "Then come on."

Clearly allowing curiosity to take over, he follows as she all but drags him out of the shop. They walk for a few minutes before getting to a modern-looking apartment building, and it occurs to him that they're on 29th, near the High Line. Jyn looks up at him. "I'm not propositioning you or anything, Cass. Just to be clear. But it seems to me that the conversation we were starting isn't exactly one to have in public. You and Bodhi are close to the same size, I think. I have sweats you can borrow and a decent view."

He peers at her for a moment. Suddenly, the thought of going home to his empty apartment is wholly unappealing. "OK."

Twenty minutes later, they're both on the sofa in her cozy apartment. He's in a pair of Bodhi's NYU sweat pants, his own white t-shirt, and a hoodie she stole from Luke. Cassian grabbed that one from the two she offered, because it's from Columbia med school. She'd giggled at his grumbling about the NYU sweats, and he'd protested, "Seriously, Jyn, I went to Columbia and Cornell. You think I want to wear NYU sweats if I don't have to? That's like making a Yankees fan wear a Red Sox t-shirt."

She'd kissed him on the cheek again after that comment. "You know I went to NYU too, right? Tread lightly there, Doctor Ivy League."

The lights are all off in the apartment save one in the sleeping alcove and one in the kitchen. She snuggles under a soft afghan from the back of the sofa. She knows she should feel weird or uncomfortable having him here, but she just doesn't. She trusts him already, something completely insane to her.

They're drinking more coffee, probably a bad idea at midnight, but oh well. She looks at him. "When I was eight, my parents died in a car accident, but I think it was staged. My father was a researcher, working on weapons development. He and my mom died in a single-car accident on the Garden State Parkway. But there's no way to prove anything."

"And Bodhi?"

Jyn shudders. "His dad got on the wrong side of a local gang. He didn't want to pay protection money, and he called the cops on the gang. There was a drive-by the next day. Bodhi's parents were both killed, and Bodhi was hit, too. Apparently, one of the bastards then went to the hospital and tried to smother a ten-year-old kid. The nurse stopped it, and the guy was arrested. That dumbass move brought the whole gang down. A drive-by in the Bronx didn't quite get the media's attention, but trying to finish off the kid who survived? Not a good plan."

"Jesus, Jyn." He shakes his head.

She shivers again, and tears come to her eyes. He moves towards her on the sofa, putting his cup down and taking hers and doing the same with it. He holds his arm open to her, and she immediately presses herself to his side. "He was so messed up, Cass." She doesn't know why she uses a nickname for him, but he isn't protesting. "He would wake up screaming every night. I just started crawling in his bed, because it would piss Saw off if the screaming woke him up. I learned quickly how to settle Bodhi down. Saw got even nastier when he heard Bodhi talking to me about being gay. Bodhi wasn't quite thirteen, but he knew."

She sighs. "Baze and Chirrut saved us, with an assist from our social worker. Baze worked with me on anger management, Chirrut with Bodhi on settling himself. But they also put us both in therapy and got Bodhi on anti-anxiety meds. Those changed his life. Baze and Chirrut adopted us less than a year after they started as our foster dads. It took years for Bodhi to be able to have even an occasional nightmare-free night. Most nights, I kept sleeping in the bed with him. When we moved out of Baze and Chirrut's loft in Brooklyn, we got a place together. He and Luke are three floors away, but when Luke has overnight shifts for work, Bodhi usually still shows up here."

"So he'll be here tomorrow night, or, I mean, since it's well after midnight, tonight then?" He remembers Bodhi saying Luke has a shift starting this afternoon.

"Probably." She smiles. "I don't mind, though. I realize now that having Bodhi to protect probably saved me from going off the rails. I might be in jail or worse if I hadn't had him to focus on."

They go silent then, and Jyn looks out the window. Light snow is starting again, and from her place tucked into Cassian's side, she notes that this new 160-pound space heater might be a good addition to winter for her. The fact that he's pretty nice to look at and even nicer to talk to? Bonus. After a moment, Jyn says, "So, you said you understand. Same thing goes that you said before – I'm happy to listen, but you only have to talk about it if you want to."

######

He thinks about it for a few minutes before quietly observing, "You have to wonder about the odds of us finding each other in a city this big. I mean, you, me, and Bodhi are a set of people with pretty jacked up histories."

"Good thing Bodhi was so concerned about my solitude that he demanded I get a cat." She smiles up at him.

He snorts. "Remind me to thank him later." He pauses. "I grew up in Mexico City. My father owned a large transportation company, and my mother stayed home raising my sister and me."

"You have a sister?" Jyn's brow furrows.

He shakes his head, feeling a little pang still. He grabs his phone and hands it to her, showing her the photo on the lock screen. It's of him and his baby sister when he was six and she was three. "Gabriela María Andor. She died of leukemia two years after that was taken."

"Oh, Cass. I'm so sorry." Jyn looks up at him with a stricken look on her face.

"It's OK, Bella. It's strange. It was so long ago, but I'm still sad about it. She was so young, only five." He shakes his head as she takes his hand, entwining their fingers. "Six years later, my parents were in Caracas – Venezuela – on a business trip. I was supposed to be with them, but I'd stayed home for a school thing. They were kidnapped, the kidnappers intending to ransom them, to get Papa's company to pay."

She squeezes his hand. "What happened?"

"The police weren't sure. Something spooked them, apparently. My parents were both found with bullets in the backs of their heads. My father's company was sold, and I was sent here to live with my Tía Silvia. It was OK, I guess. At least I'd learned English in school, though my accent got me far more attention than I wanted. She was a widow, never had children of her own. By then, she was working at a private school on the Upper West Side, teaching Spanish. I got in there." He sighed. "I was fourteen."

"Is she still alive?" Jyn starts running her free hand up and down his arm comfortingly.

"No. She died of lung cancer three years ago. I was twenty-five, just out of vet school." He shoots her a chagrined look. "At least she actually left me a decent amount of money. I was able to set up my office and put a really healthy down payment on an apartment after I sold hers and got control of the trust fund my parents left. Of course, after paying for my high school and then Columbia and Cornell, that trust fund was largely gone."

"Chirrut and Baze are loaded," Jyn offers, "Bodhi and I were also both lucky enough to go to private school and then NYU with no debt. They're damned saints, those two, even if they are real pains in the ass sometimes."

"I liked them, for what it's worth," he shoots her a game smile, "Even Baze. What the hell was that 'pup' thing, though?"

Jyn snorts. "Baze likes to pretend he's tough. And make no mistake, he can kick most people's asses. But he's a teddy bear."

"Leia's pregnant, by the way."

Jyn sits up straight, going cross-legged on the sofa as she turns sideways to gape at him. "How do you know that? No one knows that but me, Bodhi, Shara, Han, Luke, and Lando! Even Kes, Chirrut, and Baze don't know! She's only eight weeks!"

He turns and mostly mirrors her position, facing her but with one long leg hanging down, foot on the floor. "She didn't drink all night, she was falling asleep at the table, and she turned positively green at about half the food. She also kept putting her hand on her stomach. She's either sick or pregnant, and I guessed the latter because of her demeanor."

"Cass," she blinks, looking up at him, "First, is it OK that I call you Cass?"

He nods. "That's what Tía Silvia called me. I like it."

"OK, good. Now, how did you pick up on all that?" She cocks her head at him.

"Especially when I first moved here, I was really wary after what happened to my parents. I was also the new kid in a small school, I had a really heavy accent – believe it or not, it's a lot lighter now – and I was just reeling. It was easier to stay quiet and observe. It's just a habit I never broke." He rubs the back of his neck with one hand. "I really hope that didn't make me sound like a creepy stalker."

She laughs and shakes her head. "It didn't. And seriously, I work for Chirrut and Baze's security consulting firm. We're kind of paid to either detect and prevent creepy stalkers or, honestly, act like creepy stalkers." She lifts an eyebrow at him. "With observation skills like that, if you ever want to stop being a vet, we'd probably give you a job."

"I'm good." He laughs. "But thank you. Always good to know that I have something to fall back on."Despite all the caffeine, he is amazed that he suddenly feels sleepy. As if on cue, Jyn yawns, and he nods. "Me too." It also is cool in the apartment, and he can see that she's cold.

She stands up, and she looks down at him. Her couch is a little tall, and he's amused to note that with him sitting and her standing, she's only a few inches taller than him. Their eyes lock as she looks at him, and he swallows hard. Her heart is rabbiting so loud in her chest that he can actually hear it, but she appears to want to keep to her word that she didn't bring him here to proposition him. She bites her lip and starts to move to pick up their mugs, but his hand landing gently on her arm stops her. "Jyn."

She blinks and looks at him again. She's bent slightly now, and they are nearly the same height. She bites her lip again, and he reaches up with his free hand, brushing her hair from her eyes and then sliding his fingers through the soft brown strands to cup the back of her head. Moving slowly so that she has every chance to pull away, he leans into her. To his great relief, her eyes flutter closed, and she moves forward to meet him.

The kiss is gentle and entirely undemanding, and she is the one to tilt her head to deepen it. He takes that as permission to keep going, his hand releasing her arm and going to her waist instead. She sinks down on the couch in front of him, almost in his lap. She leans into him, her arms going around his neck. A moment later, he pulls back, pressing his forehead to hers. She breathes out, "You don't have to stop."

He snorts. "That sounded like a proposition." She laughs softly, and he goes on, "Jyn, I'd love to take this further right now, but I am not interested in a one-night stand with you. Even Kay doesn't know how my parents died, at least not from me. I don't know why I feel so connected to you, but I do – and I'm not willing to risk that by moving too far, too fast."

She blinks. "No man has ever given that much of a shit about me."

He shakes his head, leaning in and kissing her gently, chastely. "Then they were complete idiots."

With that, he stands, taking her hand and pulling her up with him. He takes the cups to the kitchen, placing them in the sink. She slips into the bathroom, and a few minutes later, emerges and waves him towards it.

Once he finishes in the bathroom, he comes out to find that the kitchen light is off. The blinds are closed and the couch is neat, the pillows back to where they were when they got here earlier. He walks towards the sleeping alcove, and he sees that she has both sides of the bed turned down. She's on one side of it, back against the headboard and knees drawn up. He blinks in surprise. "I assumed you'd want me on the couch?"

"The bed is more comfortable, and I trust you." She looks down at her hands. "Unless you just would prefer the couch. I mean, I know it's just a double. If it makes you uncomfortable, I can make up the couch."

He's already come to recognize that she rambles a little when she's nervous. He immediately shucks his hoodie and heads to the open side of the bed. She looks up and smiles, sliding down into the bed and reaching up to switch off the light once he's on the bed. He settles on his side, facing her, and she does the same. He reaches across the small space between them and brushes her hair out of her eyes. "This bed is really comfortable." He's not just saying that – the mattress is really, really comfortable, soft on top, but clearly firm underneath.

She blinks a couple of times in the darkness. "Hope you don't mind if I travel when I'm asleep."

"Are you saying that you're a cuddler, Jyn?" He grins.

"Maybe." Her voice is a little embarrassed, and he doesn't like that.

He opens his arms to her. "Then just come here."

"How do you know you can trust me?" She asks the question shyly.

He sighs. "You trust me, and trust should go both ways. It does for me."His eyes have adjusted to the darkness, and he can see it when the smile blooms on her face. She scoots towards him her arms wrapping around his waist as she buries her face in the crook of his neck.

All she says is, "Oh my God, you're so warm."

He jumps as her hands slip under his t-shirt. "Good lord, woman. Give a man some warning. You're like an ice cube."

With a laugh, she snuggles even closer, mumbling, "Sorry."

He shakes his head as he feels her relax against him, and he can tell when she falls asleep. His mind wanders, replaying the day. He can't believe he met her less than twenty-four hours ago. All he can think is, "What a difference a day makes." With that thought in his head, he allows himself to drift, falling asleep feeling less alone than he has in years.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Yeah, I got off on a tangent here, but it was fun to write. And, you know, Competent!Cassian! is sort of crazy attractive to me.**

 **Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.**

When Jyn wakes up Sunday morning, she's acutely aware of two things. One is her phone buzzing incessantly on the nightstand. The other is the warm presence that she is literally sprawled on top of. Some time during the night, he'd rolled to his back, taking her with him. His shoulder is her pillow now, and she's draped across his chest, one of her legs between his. He has one arm wrapped around her, and he doesn't seem to mind having her as a blanket.

She tries her best to stay still, enjoying this. She can't remember the last time she woke up with someone like this (Bodhi doesn't count), and it's even better that it's not because they passed out after banging each other's brains out. Those times, for her, usually involve slipping out of the bed and disappearing as quickly as possible.

He probably doesn't begin to understand why it meant so much to her that he stopped them from going very far last night. It showed her that he values her and, maybe even more unique, likes her. Over the last few years, she's only had one lasting relationship, and he cheated on her. She generally chooses men who are turned on by how aggressive she can be when annoyed, they have hate sex, and she never sees them again. Even those hook-ups have been few and far between, an itch scratched.

Bodhi was right about one thing – dating in New York can be hard. Hooking up is easier, but these days it has become less fun than it used to be – not that it was ever all that much fun to her. It's a lifestyle that some people enjoy, but she doesn't.

She hears her phone buzzing again, but she ignores it. She's too comfortable to move to get it. "Jyn."

His voice makes her jump and squeak in surprise before saying, "Oh my God, don't do that."

He chuckles under her, his arm tightening around her. "Sorry. But are you ever going to answer your phone? It has been buzzing for the last half hour."

Her eyes widen, and she lifts her head to look at him. He's smirking, so she pokes him gently in the side, making him laugh. She rolls her eyes and then twists away, reaching blindly for her phone. It takes some feeling around, but she finds it a moment later, emitting a victorious sound that makes him laugh again.

She twists back, peering at her phone. "Shit!"

"What?" He peers down at her.

"Well, first, it's just after nine. I never sleep past seven or so, even on a Sunday." She pauses. "And, double shit, Bodhi's – "

"Here, Jyn." Cassian and Jyn both sit up sharply to see Bodhi looking in the doorway. "Bodhi is here." He turns. "It's safe, babe. They appear to be decent."

Luke appears in the doorway, an unusually cross look on his face. "What the hell, Jyn? You never don't answer when Bodhi calls. We were worried."

Irritated, Jyn throws back the covers and climbs out of bed, leaving Cassian behind. She almost giggles when she sees him flop back down against the pillows, but she doesn't want to give Luke and Bodhi a break. "Seriously?" She goes to Bodhi and pokes at him. "You are the one who told him to walk me home, you are the one always trying to set me up, usually disastrously. I mean, vegan yogi, Bodhi." She stomps past them to the kitchen, where she turns on her Keurig. "You don't then get to be pissy when I'm spending time with a guy and not paying attention to you!"

Bodhi follows. "Jynnie, Luke is right. You never don't answer. And excuse me, but while we both thought Cassian was perfectly nice, we don't know him that well, and I am the one who insisted he walk you home. When you didn't answer, I didn't know what to do. He could be a serial killer or something, and we wouldn't know! I mean, aren't sociopaths good at acting nice? I was building the worst-case scenario in my head!"

She sighs, sensing that Bodhi is getting agitated. Luke looks worried too. She goes up to Bodhi and places a hand on each of his wrists, rubbing circles with her thumbs. "Breathe, Bodes. Breathe. I'm fine. I'm irritated, but I'm fine." She sighs again, spying Cassian coming into the kitchen area looking delightfully rumpled in his t-shirt, borrowed sweats, and bed-head. His eyes seem to ask her if Bodhi is OK, and she nods. She focuses back on Bodhi. "I'm sorry I didn't answer, Bodhi. We were up very late talking. We just woke up, and yes, I admit, I heard it buzzing for the last fifteen minutes or so. I should have looked at it."

Bodhi nods, and she lightly touches his pulse point. He takes a deep breath. "Damn, I'm sorry for freaking out, Jyn." He looks at Cassian, who Jyn is relieved to see has an understanding look on his face. "Sorry, Cassian." He blinks. "Are those my sweats?"

Cassian laughs and heads for the coffee maker. "Take that up with your sister."

"Would you rather we were naked, Bodes?" Jyn arches an eyebrow at him.

He just leers at Cassian's back, but a stern look from Jyn makes him wipe the expression off of his face. "Yeah, fine. I'll bring some clean ones with me tonight."

"Jyn?" She looks up to see Cassian holding out a cup to her. "I saw how you did yours last night. Hope I got it right."

"Thanks," she replies, taking it from him with a smile.

"Bodhi, the other reason we were calling?" Luke prompts Bodhi, whose eyes widen.

"Yes! Of course. Leia called. She's," he hesitates briefly, "Under the weather. Do you want the tickets?"

"In the Club section? With the parking pass?" She grins.

Bodhi looks at Luke. Luke laughs. "Yes. But they were going to use their car service instead – it's all set up if you want to use it."

She spins and looks at Cassian. "You said you like football, right? How do you feel about the Giants?"

"Wait, is he saying we can go to the game today?" Cassian grins, holding his own coffee cup now. "Seriously?"

"You in?" She grins back.

"Hell yes. But it's at one, right?" He arches an eyebrow at her, taking a drink of his coffee.

"Shit. Yes!" She turns to Luke, putting her coffee down. "Who has the tickets?"

"Leia's giving them to her driver to hold for you two. She figured you'd take them, and her words, she figured Cassian was so into Jyn that he'd go whether he likes football or not." Luke smirks knowingly at them.

Cassian levels a look at Luke. "Tell Leia I said thanks, and also tell her that if she doesn't want people to figure out that she's pregnant, she needs to try to stop putting her hand on her stomach all the time, especially when she's out on a Saturday night, not drinking, looking green at half the food, and falling asleep at the table."

Luke gapes at Cassian, who returns Luke's earlier smirk. Jyn bursts out laughing and is still chuckling when she gets the driver's number from Luke and then shoos them out the door. She closes it behind them, collapsing against it, facing Cassian. He puts his coffee down on the kitchen counter, and he walks over to her, grinning. When he gets to her, she stands up straight, back still to the door. He brushes her hair out of her eyes. "Good morning."

She bites her lip and smiles up at him. "Good morning."

Putting his hands flat on the door on either side of her head, he leans down, pressing his lips to hers. She pushes up on her toes and wraps her arms around his neck, allowing him to bend down a little less, and she sighs into the kiss. A moment later, he surprises her by leaning down and gripping the backs of her thighs, straightening up and lifting her with him. She wraps her legs around his waist, and he pulls back for a moment. "This OK?"

"Yes, but I'm pretty sure we don't have time for this. We need to get dressed and find breakfast." She grins. Despite her words, though, she leans back in and kisses him deeply, one hand gripping his shoulder while the other cards into his hair. He responds enthusiastically, his strong hands flexing on her legs.

After making out for a few minutes, or maybe more like ten, his own phone rings from where he left it on the living room table (she'll have to ask him why it's playing "Mr. Roboto"). He groans and breaks the kiss, dropping his forehead to her shoulder. "And that would be Kay."

He lowers her to the floor, and he goes over and calls his friend back. As she hears him talking to the friend and saying, "Yes, the girl from the shelter," and "No, Kay, she's not a serial killer," Jyn laughs and goes into the bathroom. She has to smile at the image she presents; she definitely looks like she was just very thoroughly kissed. He's good at it, too, another point in his favor.

######

Cassian finishes his call with Kay, who said he was told by his boss that he should be more interested in other people's lives, so he was calling to see how Cassian's date with "Shelter Woman" went. He goes to her bathroom to find her looking in the mirror with a pretty damned sexy smile on her face. She jumps when he clears his throat. "Sorry. I should go get dressed for the game. I checked the weather on my phone, and it's not quite as cold as yesterday, and no snow."

She smiles. "Great. I have some gear I can wear. I go with Han a lot when Leia is traveling."

He nods. "So, we've both been compared to serial killers this morning. I feel like there's an 'it will put the lotion in the basket' joke in there somewhere, but I can't quite figure out how to phrase it."

She snorts out a laugh. "OK, this will probably sound weird, but 'Silence of the Lambs' references just make you that much more attractive. You know that, right?"

He grins. "I'm glad you knew what I was referring to." After a pause, he says, "We'll be on a bit of a tight schedule. If you want to get ready and come to my place, I'll make migas for you. If you like them, that is. And then we could just have the car pick us up there."

"Oh my God, you can cook, too?" She looks like she might actually melt into the floor.

"Some. I'm not a chef or anything, but I do all right, especially with Mexican dishes." He shrugs. "So, was that a yes?" She nods, so he goes on, "OK, then I'll see you in what, an hour?"

She looks affronted. "More like forty-five minutes. Don't expect the level of effort I put forth last night."

He chuckles and steps forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You looked beautiful, but I like rumpled, messy Jyn better."

She blushes lightly, and she says, "Thank you, and that's good to know, because rumpled, messy Jyn is closer to the norm."

She hugs him, almost burrowing into his chest. He loves how she feels in his arms, strong but also tiny and like something to be taken care of, at least to the extent that she'll allow. She releases him a moment later, and he says, "Can I borrow a bag or something? I'll just take my clothes from last night home – I'll wash the sweats and bring them back to you."

She nods, going to the small hall closet and grabbing a gym bag for him. He gets his clothes and puts them in it, tying on his hiking boots and shrugging first into the hoodie and then into the leather jacket. She's waiting for him by the front door, and he can hear that she already has the shower running to warm it up. "Address?"

He rattles off the address of his apartment, six blocks away, a less than ten-minute walk. "See you in a bit, Bella. I'll tell the doorman to let you in."

"Can I bring anything to go with breakfast?" She smiles up at him.

"I have coffee, but I don't have much stuff to fix it the way you like it. So you may want to brink your sweetener and cream." He brushes her hair back from her eyes.

"OK." He moves towards the door, and she opens it, giving him a small wave as he leaves. "See you soon."

He pauses. "Did Bodhi really try to set you up with a vegan yoga guy?"

She snorts. "He really did. Unmitigated disaster."

"At least that clears up why you wanted to know if I was vegan or into yoga." He smirks.

"Can't be too careful, I say." Jyn says, as she gives him another small wave, closing the door as he laughs.

He waits until he hears her door close and lock, and then he heads for the elevator. When he gets to the lobby, he's not entirely surprised to see Bodhi waiting for him, a serious look on his face. Cassian sighs. "Bodhi, we're on a schedule. If you need to lecture me about being good to your little sister, you'll have to walk with me."

The man nods, gesturing to the door of the building. As they walk towards 10th and turn right, Bodhi says, "She's not just my sister, Cassian. She saved my life. I might be in an institution or maybe even gone by my own choice if it hadn't been for her."

Cassian can't be annoyed with someone so willing to lay himself bare and is so loyal to Jyn. He's known her about a day, and he might be willing to kill someone if they tried to hurt her. "She told me a lot last night, Bodhi, about what both of you went through. She also heard a lot about me, and I can tell you that I get it, and that I also understand what it's like to lose your whole family." He stops walking, and he turns to face the man. "I won't hurt her, Bodhi. I promise you that I will never intentionally hurt her."

Bodhi seems to relax a little. "If you're ever over and Luke's working," the man trails off, looking a little embarrassed.

Warmed and honestly buoyed by the presumption that he and Jyn will become a real thing, Cassian reaches out and gently squeezes Bodhi's shoulder. "Just give us a little warning, OK? Nothing happened outside of a kiss last night, but I feel fairly certain – or at least respectfully hopeful – that will change. But I get the bed with her. Fair?"

"Fair." Bodhi gives Cassian a weak smile.

"And let us know what Luke's schedule is. I'm guessing we'll stay at my place sometimes, so we can be sure to be at hers when Luke is working, or you can even come crash in my second bedroom instead of having to sleep on a couch." Cassian squeezes his shoulder again.

Bodhi blinks a few times, and he whispers, "Thanks, Cassian."

"Anytime, Bodhi. Family matters, especially when you know what it's like to lose yours." He cocks his head at the man. "We good?"

"We're good." Bodhi nods. "Thank you again." With that, they shake hands. "And please don't tell Jyn I did the big brother thing. She'll kick my ass."

"I won't, but Bodhi, no, she won't. Though I imagine you already know that you're the one person whose ass she'd never kick." He nods to Bodhi one more time, and he continues heading home.

When he gets to his apartment, the first thing he does is make sure it's mostly neat. He's pretty organized most of the time, but with his luck, there would be underwear on the floor or something. It's all clear, though. After he digs through his dresser, finding the one Giants sweatshirt that he owns, he goes and jumps in the shower.

Twenty minutes later, he's dressed in a long-sleeved red and white Cornell t-shirt, jeans, and socks. He'll pull on the sweatshirt and hiking boots before they go, along with his leather jacket. He's in the kitchen, all of the onions, peppers, and chiles chopped and ready to go, along with eggs, cheese, tomatoes, and spices. He slices up the corn tortillas he made last week, and he throws them in a skillet with some oil and melted butter to start crisping up.

He gets the vegetables and spices going in another skillet. He's whisking the eggs when he hears a knock at the door. He takes the tortillas off of the fire before going to the door, concerned that they'll burn. When he opens the door, he grins like a fool. Jyn is standing there in jeans, white turtleneck, and a Giants sweatshirt. She also has a bright red wool coat, red gloves, and Giants hat and scarf in her hands. He motions her in, and he takes her coat once she's inside, and he drops a kiss to her forehead. "Breakfast is nearly ready. Inspect the place. I know you want to."

She laughs, and then she proceeds to do exactly that. As he goes back to the kitchen, he hears her remarking on the spare bedroom and living room. You have to go through the kitchen and small dining space to get to his bedroom, so she wanders behind him a moment later, saying, "Oh my God, that smells good," and stealing a crispy piece of tortilla from the pan as she goes by.

He snorts a minute later when he hears her yell, "Holy shit, Cass. My entire apartment might fit in this master suite. This is insane. Who has a walk-in closet in Manhattan?" There's more exclaiming when she must go in the bathroom. He loves the master suite space in this unit – that and the nice terrace and view sold him on the place. The master bath is huge, a double walk-in shower and separate soaking tub, rarities in anything even vaguely affordable in the city.

He sighs. This place wasn't honestly all that affordable, but it seemed worth it to roll the proceeds of the sale of his aunt's place into this. That capital, even with some stuffed into savings, landed him with a mortgage expense that's downright miraculously affordable for the city. It's probably less than Jyn's rent. The trust fund set up his vet practice, and he also sub-leases space in his office to two of his classmates from Cornell, driving that overhead down, too.

She comes out of his bedroom, wide-eyed. He just shrugs. "I know. But it needed renovating, so I got it at a decent price. It's close to my office and in the part of the city I like. Tía Silvia's money paid for it. And I did a lot of the work myself, anything I could manage alone. The only thing that I had contractors for was the cabinets in here and the bathrooms. I even refinished the floors myself."

She looks down at the beautiful wood floors under her feet. She looks up at him in amazement. "Seriously?"

He nods, pouring the whisked eggs into the simmering vegetables. He points at the small table at the end of the kitchen. "Do you mind setting the table? Silverware is in the second drawer."

She goes and gets what they need, stopping and dropping a kiss to his shoulder as she passes him. "All silly exclamations aside, this place is beautiful, Cass."

######

Ten minutes later, they sit down to eat. Jyn is completely blown away by both the food and the apartment. It really is beautiful – the space is simple, but well-designed and very lived-in feeling. There are colorful pieces of art from Mexico, some that, per him, belonged to his parents.

As they eat, she eventually asks, "Why did you get a big place like this? I mean, I know it's not huge, but by Manhattan normal mortal human standards, it's really nice."

He seems to weigh his answer for a moment. "It'll sound weird, but honestly, I wanted a home – roots, you know? And I wanted it to be something I could maybe have a child in one day."

She's struck by the honesty. "Were you with someone when you bought it?" Though it's unreasonable, the question stings her heart a little, but she wants to understand.

"No. I honestly haven't been serious about anyone since undergrad. She dumped me when I decided to go to Cornell. She wanted to be somewhere warmer than here, and honestly, Ithaca makes Manhattan seem balmy, at least in the winter. She headed to law school at Duke, and I stayed up here." He gives her a game smile. "She's in Atlanta now, married and about to have a kid. I'm happy for her."

Something in his eyes tells her that he really means it. "So, it was more about the hope for a family?"

He nods. "Lives have been built on less than hope, but hope seemed like a workable foundation." He hesitates, but adds, "And this isn't pandering, I swear, but I thought that if I hadn't met someone in the next few years, I might foster a kid, probably one with a Latino background."

That makes her lean across the small table and kiss him. He tastes like breakfast and coffee, and she's good with that. She's also warmed by his phrasing, basically telegraphing that he has now met someone in meeting her, but the idea is a little intimidating, too.

When she pulls back, she takes his hand on the table, entwining their fingers and examining their joined hands. For a brief moment, a flash of fear jolts through her. "We've only known each other for a day. I'm a little scared right now, Cassian. I'm vulnerable with you, and I am not, as a general rule, vulnerable."

He squeezes her hand. "I know what you mean."

"I figured that you might. It scares me that I'm kind of already finding myself needing you. In basically twenty-four hours, I've gone from alone and really OK with it to needing you." She casts her eyes down, worried that the admission will scare the shit out of him.

Instead, he just tightens his hand in hers. "You have a cat now, too. Don't forget Kyber. A cat and a boyfriend in twenty-four hours."

She looks up at him. "Boyfriend?" He looks flustered for a moment, and she puts him out of his misery, leaning in and kissing him again. "I like that."

Fifteen minutes later, she's helping him with the dishes. He's handing her a plate to put in the dishwasher when she says, "Were you going to tell me that Bodhi talked to you?"

He freezes and turns his head, lifting an eyebrow at her. She takes the plate, chuckling. After a moment, he says, "No. I told him I wouldn't."

"And that's another point in your favor. The fact that you wouldn't squeal on him. But whatever you said must have meant a lot to him, because he came to my apartment and squealed on himself." She puts the plate, the last one, in the dishwasher and closes the door. "What did you say?"

Cassian shrugs a little. "Just that I'd never intentionally hurt you, and that I was fine with him being there whenever he needs to be, and that he can even come here when you're staying over." He pauses. "When he asked me not to say anything to you about it, he said you'd kick his ass. I agreed to not say anything, but I also told him that he was probably the only person whose ass you'd never kick."

That brings tears to her eyes – to have someone get it, get her. Her last boyfriend had complained incessantly about Bodhi and her friends and family. Cassian, on the other hand, seems perfectly willing to take them all on. "You cannot possibly be this perfect." She shakes her head.

He blushes lightly, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck. "I'm not, Jyn, I promise. I can be moody and dark as hell, especially around the anniversary of Mama and Papa's deaths, and I'm even worse on Gabriela's birthday. And seriously, you haven't met Kay yet. He may send you running."

"What was with the ringtone? Mr. Roboto?" She quirks an eyebrow at him.

He chuckles, reaching out and hugging her to him. "You'll understand when you meet him."

"OK. Now – football?" She leans away and grins up at him.

"Let me go pull on my boots and my sweatshirt." He releases her.

She watches him head to his bedroom, and she looks out the window, enjoy the only partially-obscured view of the Hudson. She looks around the apartment that is equal parts homey and modern, and she grins. If this is her future, she's OK with that. Waiting for him, she idly wonders where they can put Kyber's litter box and if there are any apartments in the building that might work for Luke and Bodhi. She then shakes herself a bit, thinking that she needs to slow her head down a bit, though a part of her has a feeling that he might be thinking about some of the same stuff.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: So sorry for the slow updates. I do my best to keep up, but real life takes priority! There be fluff here, and relationship/personal introspection. Next chapter? Kay shows up.**

 **Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.**

Leia's car service's discreet black sedan drops Cassian and Jyn off in front of Jyn's building. They're both just slightly tipsy after the football game, and Cassian has to admit that he was seriously impressed by how much beer the tiny woman managed to put away today. With every beer, she'd been a little more affectionate (though, to be fair, it was welcome and reciprocated), so he can honestly say this has been pretty much the best Sunday he can recall since before his parents died. The Giants even won the game.

It's nearing five o'clock, and he suddenly realizes that he's seriously tired. At Jyn's insistence before they left for the game, he has a small pack with him that he'd left in the car. It has a change of clothes in it as well as Bodhi's sweatpants, which she insisted that she can wash later. "Want to come up? Bodhi probably won't show up until 9 or 10."

He nods, following her into the lobby. He knows he should go home and get his laundry done and other usual Sunday things managed before the work week begins, but he can't bring himself to tear himself away from her just yet. At the game, at halftime, they'd talked about tonight. As much as he'd like to stay over again (waking up with someone is seriously underrated in his book), he also wants to get a little space to process the last day and a half; at the game, though, he'd said it was to give her time with Bodhi, only a half-truth. So, he's heading home in a while.

As they step into the elevator, her phone dings. She peers down at it, scowling. "What the hell?"

Cassian lifts an eyebrow. "What? What's wrong?"

She just hands him her phone, and his eyes widen as he reads the lengthy text message she just received. As he's reading, another one comes through. He shows it to her, and she snorts. "I love Shara. She's so willing to sell people out when they act like jackasses."

Cassian shakes his head, raking a hand through his hair. "They are seriously betting on when we're going to have sex for the first time?"

"I'm so sorry that these are the people I come with. At least Chirrut is staying out of it." Jyn scowls again. "Looks like I need to spar with Baze again, because I really feel like kicking his butt right now."

The text had been Shara warning Jyn that Han, Leia, Lando, Kes, Bodhi, Luke, and Baze have all taken bets on when he and Jyn will have sex. The only open night left in the next fifteen days is this Tuesday. Shara's second text said, "Do it Tuesday, and I'll split the winnings with you two. I'll buy us in. It's a hundred bucks per day, so that's fifteen hundred split two ways."

"That's an insane amount of money." Cassian observes, a little blown away.

"Stands to reason. They are insanely competitive. They just seemed to forget that Shara is too, and that Shara plays dirty." Jyn shrugs, clearly used to the antics.

They get to her apartment, and she unlocks the door. He motions to her to go in first, so she does, waiting for him just inside. When he enters behind her, her coat is already on the floor. She reaches for the door, pushing it closed and backing him up against it, pushing his own coat and his pack off of his shoulders.

After pulling him down to her, she presses a searing kiss to his lips, sinking her hands into his hair. As he had this morning, he leans down and lifts her up. Without breaking their kiss, he turns them so that her back is against the door, her legs wrapped tight around his waist.

Her back hitting the door makes her gasp, and he takes advantage, his tongue finding its way into her mouth. She moans softly, and her tongue meets his. His mind is somewhat blissfully blank at this point, with her small, strong frame pressed against him and her hands still in his hair. Eventually, they pull apart, panting a little. She leans in, kissing along his jaw, finding a sensitive spot just below his ear.

As her mouth moves along his skin, between kisses, she says, "How are we going to wait until Tuesday, damn it?" He snorts out a laugh at that, and she lifts her head, grinning. "You know we have to, right? They deserve to lose the money, and at least Shara had the guts to confess and the wisdom to cut us in."

He shakes his head, chuckling and lowering her to the ground. When her feet hit the floor, he watches as she pulls out her phone and taps out a text message. Before she hits send, she shows it to him. The proposed response to Shara impacts him in a few ways. He's slightly embarrassed, but he's also equal parts turned on, affectionate, and flattered. The text says, "Tuesday it is. But that's split three ways, Shara, because if I had my way, whoever has today would be winning."

He takes the phone from her, and he hits send before handing it back. "Works for me, querida, but can we at least have dinner, just you and me, first?"

"What did you have in mind?" She smiles up at him.

"Actually, will you let me cook for you again?" He brushes her hair back out of her eyes, a mess from her winter hat.

She nods. "If you let me bring wine."

"That works." He bends down to pick up his pack. "You like shrimp?"

"I like pretty much all seafood." She grins. "So, white wine?"

Opening his pack, he pulls out Bodhi's sweats and the hoodie and hands them to her. "That also works."

She takes them, putting them in the hamper in the bathroom. When she emerges, he hesitates. "I should probably go home, Jyn. I need to do some mundane things like laundry, you know?"

Her face falls a little. "I was hoping you might want to hang out a little."

Putting the pack down again, he walks over to her and wraps her up in a hug. "Jyn, bella, I think we need a few minutes to breathe. I'm a little overwhelmed by this, by you, by," he hesitates for a moment, "Suddenly being part of an us." She tenses in his arms a little, and he is quick to explain, "I mean that in a good way, Jyn." He steps back and looks at her.

She still looks worried, so he takes her hands and leads her the short distance to her sofa. As they had last night, they sit facing each other. She doesn't say anything, so he offers, "Jyn, what you said at my apartment this morning, that you're scared because you already find yourself needing me?" She nods, and he goes on, "It's the same for me. And it's scary. I've been alone a long time, and I know you have, too, despite your small herd of friends and family. For me, this is a new reality, one I really, really want to work. But I need a little time to process this. Don't you?"

######

At his words, Jyn starts to relax. Reluctantly, because she really just wants him to stay, she nods. "I probably do." Something occurs to her. "The Tuesday thing, Cass, if you think it's too fast, we don't have to –"

She's cut off by his lips on hers. After a moment, he leans back, pressing his forehead to hers. "Querida, I want you. A lot. I mean, more than I've ever wanted anyone. But there's no clock. Betting pool aside, if it feels right and we're both ready Tuesday? Great. If we're not, one of your other crazy, wonderfully inappropriate friends will win a ridiculous amount of money."

Jyn laughs softly. "If they get to be too much, I can tell them to bugger off now and then." She turns serious. "Except Bodhi. I can't do that to him. I think you already understand that, though."

"I do, and if Gabriela was still alive, I'd likely feel the same. Family is family. I meant it when I said he can come crash at my place if he wants to. This is a decent couch, but there he'd have a bed." He presses a soft kiss to her temple. "Honestly, if Luke is working and you aren't here for some reason, he's welcome then too."

She smiles up at him, wondering what the hell she did right to find him. Then, her smile turns into a smirk. "Family is family, no doubt, but I will not hesitate to tell Baze and Chirrut to bugger off now and then, especially Baze. I love them both dearly, but Baze makes a sport of trying to see how much he can piss me off. It gets annoying sometimes. Chirrut is just nosy, and then he makes these wise, perfectly spot-on observations that are helpful but also irritating because you feel like you should have sorted it out on your own."

Cassian hesitates for a moment before asking, "Has he always been blind?"

Jyn nods. "Always – from birth."

He gives her a sheepish smile. "I'll admit it, it felt like he was watching me like a hawk last night. You can tell Baze that he's got to work on his scowl, because Chirrut is far more intimidating."

She can tell that he's a little embarrassed to admit that, and she wants to put him at ease. "I felt and feel the same way. Baze is big and grumpy and overbearing, but he's honestly a teddy bear underneath it. Chirrut's calm observation, on the other hand, makes it feel like you're left completely open. I wasn't particularly enamored with that as an angry thirteen-year-old who just wanted to protect her brother."

"I can only imagine." He reaches out and cups her cheek in his palm. "Are you OK? I don't want to go if you think it's some sort of pulling back or rejection. I swear to you that it's not."

"I believe you, Cass." She sighs. "And you're right. A few hours of quiet and then a couple of hours of shit TV with Bodhi is probably a good idea."

He grins. "We'll have to watch the new season of 'The Amazing Race' together. Please tell me that you openly heckle the TV? Because I do, and I need you not to judge me."

"Of course!" She almost looks affronted. "I loved what you said last night – how many of those twits go on that show without being sure that they can swim and have at least one of them able to drive a stick? I guess it's from the same pool of twits who go on 'Survivor' without learning how to build and start a fire."

"Or who go on 'Top Chef' without at least one decent dessert recipe memorized?" He lifts an eyebrow at her.

She squeaks happily, pressing a kiss to his lips and then hugging him close. "Oh my God, I've found the perfect man." She pulls away, hoping that he doesn't quite realize that she's only partially kidding.

Chuckling, he stands up and offers her his hand, pulling her up with him. "We should have some good tequila on hand for when we watch Amazing Race. We could make it a drinking game. Someone gets lost, take a shot. Someone says, 'why do people live like this,' take a shot. Someone says, 'Do you speak English,' take a shot."

"Cass, we'd be shitfaced before half an hour was up." She smirks. "It sounds awesome."

They walk towards the door. She's a little gloomy that she won't get to curl up on him tonight, but she does understand what he was saying, and she agrees with it. When she stopped to take a moment to think about it just now, it was a little overwhelming. "You know I'm probably going to end up texting you, right?"

"I was thinking I should warn you about the same thing, but I'll also tell you that I crash by about ten on Sunday nights. I open the clinic at 7 am on Mondays." He picks up his pack again, and turns to look at her.

"OK. So if I don't get a response after ten, I shouldn't go break in the way Bodhi did on us this morning?"

"Good call." He brushes her hair back again, leaning down and kissing her gently. She pushes up on her toes to meet him, and she clings to his sweatshirt for a minute. When they break apart a moment later, she leans down and grabs both of their coats from the floor. She hands him his, and she hangs hers in her small coat closet as he shrugs into his.

She turns back to him, pulling his scarf from where she can see it in his pocket, wrapping it around his neck for him. "Stay warm, OK?"

He leans down and kisses her again. "Good night, Jyn."

She reaches behind him and opens the door. "G'night, Cass." As he heads towards the elevator, she calls, "Cassian?" He turns and looks, a curious expression on his face. She smiles a little shyly, something very out of character for her. "I had a really good time today."

He nods, his expression softening into a look that makes her feel a little warm and squishy inside. "Me too, querida."

With one last smile, he heads towards the elevator, and she softly closes the door, leaning back against it. Out loud, she says, "Oh my, Erso. You are in way over your head here." But then, she smiles. She's never felt this out of her element with a guy, but it's feels like it's in the best possible way. She hugs her arms around herself. Her phone dings, and she looks down at it. It's Bodhi, telling her he'll be over at about 9:30. She looks at her watch. It's not quite 5:30, giving her four hours.

She texts back an OK and a promise of leftovers. With her phone, she calls the pizza place a block over and orders a large pizza, just artichoke hearts, onions, olives, and fresh sliced tomatoes, a nod to Bodhi's preference for vegetarian pizza, and she jumps in the shower, knowing how much time she has before it gets here.

She takes a few minutes extra in the shower, letting the hot water sluice over her, easing some of the tension in her body. She's tired, and it occurs to her again that Cassian was right. This is a little overwhelming – that really is the right word. When she gets out, she stares at her reflection in the mirror, wondering what he sees in her. To her, he's beautiful – that floppy hair, the puppy dog eyes, everything.

She can acknowledge that she's decently nice looking, but she's also rough around the edges in some ways. Her hair is messy most of the time, makeup an afterthought. It occurs to her, though, that while he'd made a point to tell her she looked beautiful last night, he'd agreed to meet up with her after meeting her looking a bit of a mess. Years in the home of Saw didn't exactly do great things for her self-esteem, though. Neither did her ex last year, who told her that she just wasn't feminine enough for him.

Jyn refuses to waste much brain power on her asshole ex, but the memories of Saw can still get to her. Saw's M.O. was to find weaknesses and exploit them. In her case, that was to make her feel inadequate – not good enough to protect Bodhi, not smart enough, too disrespectful. Saw claimed it was his way of toughening her up.

For Bodhi, it had been worse, though. Saw had recognized that Bodhi was terrified. He would purposefully loom over the slight kid who was afraid of his own shadow, and he'd made no secret of his derision. Later, he'd terrorized Bodhi over being gay. The thing about that was that Jyn was pretty sure that Saw didn't actually give a shit that Bodhi was gay – it was just a way to get at him, again in the name of making him tougher.

She shakes her head, trying to banish the memories. Wrapped in her toweling robe, she goes to her sleeping alcove and pulls on a long-sleeved t-shirt, sweats, and a pair of wool ragg socks. She takes her robe back to the bathroom, where she combs out her hair. When it's de-tangled and whisping softly around her face as it dries, she grabs a bottle of water out of the fridge and goes back to her bedroom, where she plugs her phone in.

A knock at the door a moment later tells her that the pizza is here. After she pays the delivery guy, she grabs two pieces and puts them on her plate, taking it all to her bed. She hops up on it, pizza on the bed next to her and iPad set up on her small lap desk. She flips to her work email, reading through the two she got from Baze. She rolls her eyes at the first one, because it's all about her "boy." The second one is about a meeting they have with a new potential client tomorrow,

She munches on her pizza as she then catches up on the news and on the other football scores of the day. Thirty minutes later, it's getting dark outside, and she sets the plate and lap desk aside. She looks out her window, peering out over the city to the north. She loves living here – it feels so alive to her. She can't imagine living anywhere else.

Her mind turns to Cassian. She goes warm thinking about how he said he'd thought about fostering a kid. She wonders how she and Bodhi would've done with a foster parent like Cassian. She knows he'd be a brilliant parent. She swallows hard. He wants a child, clearly. It's not something she's thought about a lot, but she's now picturing a little girl or boy with Cassian's eyes and her nose and dark hair falling across his or her forehead. She's not so sure about her own potential parenting skills, but maybe Cass could be the nurturing one while she's the protective one. That might work.

She curls up on the bed, head on her pillow and clutching his pillow from last night to her chest. She dozes off, tired from the late night and the full day. She's startled awake when her phone rings a while later. She surprised to see on her clock that it's already 8:30. Grabbing the phone, she grins at the name as she answers. "Miss me already?"

######

As he walks down 10th Avenue, Cassian is already questioning his decision to not stay with Jyn a while longer. He then chastises himself, thinking that is exactly why leaving probably was a good idea. He's been independent since his parents were killed. His aunt tried hard with him, but they both had lost enough that getting close was difficult. It's part of why the last day and a half has him so off-center. He can't remember the last time he was anxious to see someone again.

It's amazing to him just how easily she wandered over his walls and apparently how easily he did the same with hers. From the moment he met her yesterday (how is it possible that it was only yesterday?), he didn't just like her – he feels like he trusted her. That's miraculous in his book. Since his parents died, he has only truly trusted his aunt and Kay.

He shakes his head. He can't wait to introduce Kay to Jyn. That will be highly entertaining. In the seven years that he's known Kay, there has only been one woman he was introduced to. She ran screaming, but he'd been OK with that, as they weren't a good match anyway. Given Jyn's crazy family and friends, Kay will stick out but not too badly. He's just weird in a different way – almost coldly analytical, but loyal to almost a fault.

When Cassian's aunt died, the service was relatively small, just her friends from New York. Then, out of nowhere, Kay just showed up, imposing and stiff in a black suit. He just hovered near Cassian the whole day, making sure he ate and drank water and had moments when he needed them. Cassian knew then that Kay was strange and not exactly well-versed in the social graces (or more specifically, he's well-versed but thinks they're largely a waste of time), but he has Cassian's back. That's likely because Cassian stood up for Kay more than once at Cornell, where Kay's attitude and off-the-charts intelligence often irritated others.

Arriving to his building, Cassian goes up and lets himself into his apartment. He looks around for a moment, realizing that while the good-sized space and nice view has been a sanctuary since he bought it, it feels painfully empty and quiet tonight. He pictures Jyn's small space, so perfectly suited to her, and he thinks about how it would look to blend her things in with his. He wanders through the kitchen to his bedroom. Just like her, he also just has a double bed, the frame simple and the mattress ready to be replaced.

He catches himself thinking that he should just wait until Jyn moves in. He likes her platform bed with the extra storage, and the mattress itself was really comfortable. He can't help but wonder when her lease is up, something he knows is a little crazy. He admonishes himself out loud, "Day and a half, Cassian. You've known her a day and a half."

He takes a shower and then goes to his kitchen, pulling some leftover lasagna out and heating it up. He sits on his bed and flips on his TV, watching ESPN's evening football coverage. He feels silly, because he's completely at loose ends. He mutes the TV and stares out the window. It's a dark night, but at least the snow is done for now. He not sure how much time passes before he finds himself thinking about his parents for the first time in a while.

His father in particular would love Jyn, especially how feisty she is. He thinks his mother would like her, too, especially if Jyn let her see her vulnerability. They would both admire how she protected Bodhi and continues to do so. His eyes move briefly to the picture next to his bed, one of his whole family the year before Gabriela died. He sighs. She'd be just a year younger than Jyn if she was still alive. He still gets a heavy feeling in his chest when he thinks of her.

He shakes his head. A wave of loneliness washes over him, something he hasn't felt in a long time. Before yesterday, he was pretty OK with being alone. He certainly was interested in finding someone, but the New York dating scene can really suck. He's not a Tinder or kind of guy, and unlike Bodhi with Jyn, Kay isn't exactly one to be pushing Cassian into blind dates – quite the opposite. Kay, to Cassian's knowledge, has never been on a date and has zero interest.

But now, everything is suddenly different. He misses Jyn. Maybe wasting a lot of time overthinking it is stupid. He's scared, but he knows she is too. There is a level of comfort in that knowledge. He's not sure what he thought he needed to work out – at this point, all he wants is to call her. He looks at his phone. It's not quite 8:30, so Bodhi probably isn't there yet.

Taking a deep breath, he scrolls to her number and calls her. It rings several times, and he's about to give up when he hears a slightly groggy Jyn say, "Miss me already?"

"You have no idea." He admits it freely. "This seemed wise when I left. It's feeling less wise now."

She laughs softly. "So, talk to me, then. I tried thinking. I fell asleep. I blame the beer."

He laughs in return. "What do you want to hear about?"

She grows serious. "What is Mexico City like? What was it like for you as a kid?"

For an odd reason, he is warmed by the idea that she wants to understand this part of his past. Hers is simpler – she grew up in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Brooklyn. He starts to talk, and he can tell she's listening intently by how she peppers him with questions. They never talk about him coming back to her place. They both know that she should spend time with Bodhi.

They talk until Bodhi gets there, moving from his youth to hers, as well as talking about her college years. Those were admittedly wilder than his. At about 9:40, Jyn has to hang up. Bodhi is there and pestering her to let him talk to Cassian, and Cassian laughs and says, "Tell him I'm old and have to go to bed, querida."

"You're only a year older than he is, so yes, that's perfect." She snorts. "Good night, Cassian."

"Good night, Jyn." He hangs up the phone, staring at it for a moment. He goes to his pictures and finds one from today, a selfie they took in front of the stadium. Her cheeks are pink, her hair messy from her hat. He turns out the light and goes to bed with the thought that she's the most beautiful woman he's ever met.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: OK, I said Kay was showing up this chapter, but this one got away from me. He gets some major mentions though, and he WILL show up next time, I swear. Total fluff ahead, plus bonus Baze/Jyn bonding. Next chapter may be a week and change away - just fair warning - but I'll try to be faster if I can.**

 **Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.**

"Little One, where is your head today?" Baze's gruff voice makes her blink in surprise.

She looks over at him, smoothing her sweater down as her cheeks turn a little pink. "Sorry, Baze." She's dressed similarly to how she dressed for Saturday night, just with a burgundy fitted turtleneck and a matching blazer. They're going over some security protocols they're proposing to implement with a new client, a large investment banking firm down in lower Manhattan.

Her role is largest; the biggest concern for the firm is cybersecurity. She did her part of the presentation, then she has to admit that she let her mind wander. The clients stepped out of the room a moment ago. "Do you think they noticed?"

He shakes his head. "No. Only someone who knows you would have noticed. Are you all right?"

Truthfully, she's better than all right. "Yes. Just distracted."

"By a certain chivalrous veterinarian?" Baze grins.

She huffs and rolls her eyes. "Yes. Fine. I was thinking about Cassian, which really won't do, because I need to be able to do my job."

"Little one, did I ever tell you about my first date with Chirrut?" Baze leans against the credenza in the conference room. She shakes her head and perches up on the credenza next to him. He chuckles. "I ran into a wall. Literally. Chirrut is blind, and I am the one who ran into a wall. And by doing so, I then fell backwards into a waiter carrying a full tray. There was something of a mess."

She smirks, trying to picture it. "Did you handle it well?"

"If you mean did I apologize profusely and then offer to pay for the destroyed food and extra drinks for the people whose food it was? Yes. Yes I did." He shrugs. "My point is just that I was distracted as hell."

"When does that part stop, Baze? I need to be able to focus occasionally, you know?" She huffs again.

"I'll let you know when it stops. Hasn't yet. But you learn to manage it, Little One. Honestly, the day they don't distract you at all is the day the magic is gone, at least in my opinion." He looks down at her, his smile now gentle. "All kidding aside, I liked him, Jyn. He was pretty tolerant of our crew, and he seemed like he will be protective without smothering you. I really like that."

"I don't need to be protected, Baze." She bristles a little.

He turns towards her, putting a hand on her arm. "Of course you don't, Little One. But you deserve it after all the shit you went through, especially for Bodhi. Let him take care of you, and you can take care of him. That boy's been through a lot too, hasn't he? I have a feeling that he has."

"Yeah, he has." She looks up at him. "His history isn't that far off from mine and Bodhi's, but he had an aunt to take him in when he was fourteen."

"Amazing that you found each other. I know you don't like it when we worry over you, but you seemed happy Saturday night. I haven't seen you smile like that in a long time." He squeezes her arm before letting go.

She shakes her head. "It's already serious, Baze, and it scares the hell out of me. It's too fast."

"I knew I loved Chirrut after the first date, probably because he made a slew of jokes about being willing to help me learn to navigate." Jyn looks up at him in surprise. "He knew. We were damn near inseparable for months. Don't worry about speed. Worry about how you feel. That's all that matters. You may be cranky and easy to piss off, Little One, but you have never been all that impulsive. You just need to learn to trust yourself."

Even though she's still irked with him for getting in on the betting, she is grateful for the perspective. Baze isn't the one who does most of the talking between him and Chirrut, but when he does say things, she's usually glad that he did. "Thanks, Baze."

She hops down, and he stands, pulling her to him in a hug. "Anytime, Little One."

They hear voices outside the conference room, and they step apart, moving back into professional mode. A couple of hours later, they walk out with smiles on their faces, both of them with messenger bags holding their tablets and presentation notes. It had been a good day – the clients agreed to all of their recommendations, and Jyn's team will start working here the next week. They may even have to pick up some contract help on it. Baze looks at her. "Well done today, Little One."

They walk towards the subway. She hops on a train with Baze; it's a little out of her way, but she doesn't mind. It's rush hour, and Jyn likes riding with Baze. He's big and people tend to give him a little space, notwithstanding his sharp blazer and dress slacks. Jyn plays with her phone, fidgeting. After a moment, Baze just laughs. "Text him, Jyn. I can tell that you want to."

She smiles sheepishly. "Yeah, OK." She taps it, and Baze chuckles. "What?"

"Nice picture." He points at the phone.

She blushes a little. She already changed her lock screen to a selfie of her and Cassian at the Giants game. "Leave me alone, Baze." She tries to glare at him, but there's no heat in it at all. As he laughs, she opens the phone and sends a text. "Hey, you busy?" is all she types.

A few moments later, her phone dings. "Abt to see a cranky poodle. 10 minutes?"

She snorts and texts back, "K."

She keeps her phone out, settling next to Baze on the crowded train, resting her head on his shoulder. He takes her hand and squeezes it. An older woman across from them seems to be giving them dirty looks, and Jyn is puzzled until a thought occurs to her. She stares at the woman until she catches the woman's eye, and she says, "He's my adoptive dad and also gay, lady. Mind out of the gutter."

Baze snorts and rolls his eyes, and the woman blushes crimson. She gets off quickly at the next stop, and Jyn mutters, "Busybody."

Baze just shakes his head. "My Jyn, it's never boring with you."

"What? She was looking at us like we're criminals, Baze." Jyn sits up straight. "Even if we were together, it would be none of her damned business."

"I know, Little One." He pulls her tight to his side. "I love you, my little crusader."

"I love you, too, Baze." She hugs him close.

"Bring him over for dinner next Saturday, Little One. And yes, I know you'll have your cat then. Bring her too. Chirrut will love it." He squeezes her back, and she just nods.

A moment later, the train thunders into their stop. They get off, and they head towards the L train, which he'll catch to Brooklyn, her the opposite direction. After giving Baze another hug, she heads to her platform to wait. Her phone dings again, and she wants to respond before getting on the train, where reception is spotty. Her signal is miraculously good here. "Where are you?"

"Catching the L Union Sq." She taps out a quick reply. "Dinner?"

His reply is quick. "Was meeting Kay Rd Farm in Village." Her heart sinks. She wanted to see him. Her phone dings again, and her frown flips to a grin. "Want 2 meet him?"

She bites her lip. "Yes! Can I come 2 your ofc?"

"Y. Here til 6, come hang out til then?" He then sends her the exact address.

"On my way." She grins, pulling her bag close to her body. Her train comes in, and she jumps on and settles down, crossing her legs and bouncing her foot in anticipation.

Half an hour later, she's climbing the steps up to the street at 8th and West 23rd, and she starts the short three-block walk to his office. When she gets to it, she climbs the steps up to his second-floor space in an old converted building, one she can tell is mostly professional spaces. As she climbs, two young men and two young women pass her, all in scrubs.

The listing of businesses reflects small law offices, a few dentists, doctors, and Andor and Associates Veterinary Clinic. She finds the door to his offices and pushes it open.

When she walks in, she sees a simple waiting area. It's clean and has a window onto the street below, with some comfortable chairs and benches. A tiny woman, in at least her 50s, more likely her 60s, sits at the reception desk. "Can I help you, young lady? All of our techs just left for the evening, but the vets are still here if you need someone right away."

The woman peers at her, and then she pulls on a pair of the thickest glasses Jyn has ever seen. "Oh, you must be Cassian's new friend." She smiles benevolently.

Blinking, Jyn says, "Yes, Jyn Erso." She slips off her leather coat as she approaches the desk, and the woman stands up and holds out her hand.

Jyn takes it, and the woman shakes her hand. "I'm Maz Kanata, Maz to you. I run the office for these kids."

Jyn nods and releases her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Maz."

"You too, my dear." She turns, and Jyn jumps a little when the small woman calls loudly, "Andor! Your lady is here. You told me how much you like her, but you didn't tell me how pretty she is!"

Jyn's eyes widen, and she hears a crash from the back and a string of rather filthy-sounding curses in Spanish. Jyn laughs a moment later when she hears, "Damn it, Maz! Seriously?"

Maz winks at Jyn from behind the desk and motions her head towards the back. "Second door on the left, dear. You can leave your things here, if you like."

Jyn puts her coat and bag down, winks back and heads down the hall, stopping when she gets to what is clearly a storeroom. He's crouched down, collecting up boxes of gauze and bags of empty prescription bottles. She leans against the doorframe, crossing her arms across her chest. "Need any help, Doc?"

He looks up, hair hanging adorably into his eyes. Her eyes give him a quick once-over. He looks good again, this time in a navy-blue shirt, jeans, and hiking boots, with a white coat over it, a stethoscope hanging from his pocket. She can also tell that he's checking her out, but considering she's doing the same to him, she doesn't mind. He finally catches her eyes with his, shrugging sheepishly. "Hi."

######

As he'd looked up, he'd quickly dragged his eyes up her body, hoping wouldn't notice, but he also saw she seemed to be doing the same to him. She's wearing the same boots from Saturday night (he really likes those boots), another black skirt and black tights, and a sweater and jacket. She looks amazing and professional and Dios mío, beautiful. Her hair is in a low, loose braid that was probably neat this morning but is now falling softly around her face. She grins. "Hi."

He puts the supplies in his hands on the shelf and stands up, moving over to her. She straightens up as he gets closer, and when he gets to her, she leans up towards him as he leans down to press his lips to hers. Her arms reach up to go around his neck, and he pulls her close to him. After a moment, he pulls back. "Don't take this the wrong way, querida, but it's a lot easier to kiss you when you're wearing those heels."

She rolls her eyes, but then she just leans up and kisses him again. He deepens it as she slides a hand into his hair, his hands moving down to her waist to bring her in closer to him. He loses track of time, but after a while, the sound of someone clearing their throat makes them jump apart.

They turn to see Maz standing there with two men right behind her. They're both grinning, and Cassian rakes a hand through his hair. He then waves at them. "Jyn, this is Ruescott Melshi and Wedge Antilles. I went to vet school with them. You know Maz. Scott, Wedge, this is Jyn Erso. My girlfriend."

Jyn blushes lightly and smiles at the title. She slips her hand into Cassian's, squeezing it gently. She gives the two men a wave. "Nice to meet you both."

Wedge smirks, but Scott's smile is gentler. He says, "Cassian said he met you at the adoption center?"

Jyn nods. "He helped me find a cat. I pick her up later this week."

Cassian can see that Wedge is about to make a highly inappropriate joke. He likes these two, but he's closer to Scott than he is to Wedge. He gives Wedge a warning look, and the man looks briefly surprised, but then he nods. "Good for you, Jyn. If Cassian's ever not around and you need help with her, me or Scott will be happy to help."

Melshi agrees quickly. "Definitely. Happy to help."

She smiles at that, but Cassian can tell that she's suddenly a little shy. "Thank you."

They all go silent for an awkward moment, so Maz rolls her eyes and says, "Scott, Wedge, time to go. You can both walk an old lady to the subway. Now, please."

The two other vets smile and nod, bidding them both good night. Maz drags them both out by the arm, though Melshi calls back to Cassian that he's coming back to stay with the overnights in about an hour. When they hear the front door open and close, he can tell that Jyn has to swallow back a giggle. He smiles ruefully. "And those are my co-workers."

"Scott seems nice, and I like Maz. Jury's still out on Wedge." She smiles up at him.

Cassian goes back to the shelves to finish putting away what he dropped when Maz yelled to him earlier. She comes over and hands some of the small boxes to him. He nods his thanks. "Wedge is a good guy. He's just a little cocky at times. Scott's definitely nice. And yeah, Maz is awesome. She was a friend of Tía Silvia's. She was an administrator at my high school, and she came out of retirement to help me here. She's almost 70. I offered to try to find someone else this year, and she, gently but still, hit me on the back of the head with a chart folder. I took that as a no."

Jyn laughs. "I definitely like her."

"Me too." He grins and puts the last box on the shelf. He beckons to her to follow him. She does, moving through the quiet office. "Scott's going to come back in about an hour – usually one of the techs will do it, but they're all going to a birthday thing – to stay with the few post-op overnights that we have today, but do you mind if I go take a look at them before I leave?"

"Of course not!" Jyn says, "Can I follow you around?"

He ducks his head. "Sí, yes, sure." He smiles. "Come on." They both move towards the back, and he shows her where she can hang her blazer up and wash her hands. She follows him, staying back and just observing as he checks on the two cats and three dogs in the back. The cats are both still a little sleepy, and two of the dogs are alert but also quiet.

The third dog, though, is wide awake, and she whines a little in her enclosure. He goes in and checks on her, sighing. She's a beautiful Golden Retriever who had a knee surgery. Cassian looks at Jyn. "I need to go get her a dose of her pain medication. Do you mind," he gestures to the dog, "Sitting with her? She'll likely get agitated, and she needs to settle down. Grab a towel." He motions to a shelf next to her.

Jyn nods, coming forward with a towel in hand. He takes it for her and spreads it on the space next to the dog. She looks at him quizzically, and he shrugs. "Trying to keep your clothes as dog hair free as possible, querida. Her name is Maggie."

Jyn takes off her boots and sits with her legs curled sideways, her skirt not workable for cross-legged. She then holds out a hand, letting the dog sniff. "Hi, Maggie," she says softly. The dog snuffles into her hand, whining softly, and Jyn nods to Cassian. "Go. We'll be fine."

He goes, moving through the office as quickly as he can. He gets the dogs meds ready in a syringe, and then he heads back to the enclosure. When he gets close, he hears Jyn speaking softly, and as he turns the corner, the sight makes him freeze.

He can see that the dog moved closer, her head now resting in Jyn's lap. Jyn is stroking the dog's head and ears, and she's telling her softly that she's a good girl. Despite her situation, the dog's tail is wagging gently against the floor, and Jyn clearly doesn't mind the blonde dog hair accumulating on her skirt.

His heart melts completely, and it hits him like a ton of bricks. He doesn't just like Jyn. He's falling in love with her. That should scare him, but he's amazed to realize that it just makes him feel lighter. He continues on towards them, dropping to his knees next to them. The dog moves a little, and he scritches at one of her ears. "Shh, niña bonita." He leans forward and injects the pain meds. The dog whimpers a little at the prick of the needle, but then she visibly relaxes.

Jyn watches as he pulls the stethoscope from his pocket and check's the dog's pulse. He listens for a few moments, and after he's comfortable that she's just resting comfortably, he takes it out of his ears and moves it to just around his neck. Then, he looks at Jyn. "Thanks, querida."

She smiles shyly. "I didn't really do anything, Cass."

He loops some of the hair, escaped from her braid, behind her ear. He leans in and kisses her gently over the form of the now-sleeping dog. "You kept her calm. That helped. She might've hurt herself otherwise."

She nods, and he helps her move the dog's head back to the pallet she's stretched out on. Jyn then turns a little, stretching out her legs. He looks at her boots, and then he grabs one, hoping she doesn't flinch away at what he's about to do. He takes the boot and slips it on her foot, zipping it slowly and carefully up her leg. When his eyes meet hers, they're heated and he knows they need to get moving or Melshi is going to come back and find them in a far more compromising position than he witnessed earlier.

######

Jyn's heart jumps into her throat as Cassian takes her other boot and slips it on her foot, again zipping it slowly up her leg. It's the most oddly intimate thing she's ever had anyone do for her, at least when fully clothed, and it makes her heart rabbit wildly in her chest. Who knew that putting a pair of boots on could be so erotic?

He starts to lean in, and then he stops himself. Her face must fall, because he huffs out a soft laugh and stands up, holding his hands out to her to pull her to her feet. "Jyn, bella, if we don't stop right now, we're going to miss dinner with Kay and lose that damned bet."

Jyn laughs, shaking her head and following him out of the enclosure after he scribbles some notes in the dog's chart. They get to what must be his office, and she notices that there is a paper printout of the selfie from the game pinned to his bulletin board. He must notice what she's looking at, because looks slightly embarrassed. To put him at ease, she pulls out her phone and shows him the lock screen with the same picture. He grins at that, and gives her a peck on the lips.

He then shrugs out of his white coat and puts the stethoscope in a case on his desk. He reaches into a drawer, roots around a little, and he comes up with a lint roller. He hands it to her while he points at her skirt and legs. She looks down and laughs. Despite the towel, she's covered in Golden Retriever hair. "Thanks."

She goes through about three sticky sheets from the roller getting all of the dog hair off. She doesn't have a long mirror, though, and she can't see her back. "This is going to sound a little weird, Cass, but can you check my ass for dog hair?"

He laughs out loud and motions for her to turn around. "It's not weird, querida. Trust me, this is something we all have to do for each other here. He takes a couple of swipes at her back, and then he leans in. "OK, Jyn, promise not to use any of those kickboxing skills on me. I have to do your butt now."

She rolls her eyes. "Proceed, Doctor Andor." She then blushes. "Wow, that came out way flirtier than I intended."

She hears him chuckle behind her as he puts one hand on her shoulder and rolls the lint roller over her rear and then down the backs of her legs. She holds her breath as he moves, and eventually he stops, laughing again. She turns. "What?" He holds up two sheets from the roller, both of them full of dog hair. She laughs too. "How many of those things do you go through a month?"

"A dozen, easy. Usually more. We go out to Costco to buy them in bulk for the office." He grins.

She lifts an eyebrow. "Please tell me you write them off as a business expense."

He nods, grabbing the same leather jacket he'd worn on Saturday. "Hell, yes."

They head out, grabbing her blazer and then her coat and bag from the front desk. He wraps her scarf around her neck for her, but she keeps her hat in her messenger bag. Before she can pick that up, he grabs it and puts it across his own body. She purses her lips for a moment, remembering Baze's words – that she should let him take care of her a little. So she just pulls her gloves on and doesn't comment except to say, "When we get to the subway, my metro card is in there."

He nods. "OK."

They leave, and after he locks up, they head for the subway, the station they need a little further away than the one she came to earlier. As they walk, he puts a hand on her lower back, and she's amazed by how much she likes it. Usually, she hates it when a date does that. In her mind, she realizes what a testament liking it is to how much she trusts him. "Does Kay know I'm coming with you?"

"He does. He doesn't manage surprises well." Cassian shrugs. "I know I've said he's a human computer, but seriously, please don't let him run you off, OK? He's," he pauses and goes on, "A little odd."

"Cass, you've met my family. I'm pretty hard to run off." She puts a hand on his arm and stops him. He gives her a questioning look, and she leans up and kisses him gently. "He'd have to be the devil incarnate to make me run from you, you know? And even then, I'm not sure. Even the devil must have at least a few good qualities, right?"

His eyes soften with an admiration that truly makes her wonder how she appears to him. Instead of kissing her again, he leans down and hugs her tight to his body. She nuzzles his neck with her face, clinging to him. Near her ear, he murmurs, "That may be the best thing anyone's ever said to me."

She clings even tighter to him, starting to understand what Baze meant about taking care of each other. She responds softly, "Then you've been hanging around the wrong people."

After another few moments, he takes a deep breath and releases her. When they start walking again, he takes her hand, entwining their fingers, his hand warming hers even through the leather of her gloves. They descend the stairs into the subway station, the evening commute crowd evident. He keeps a tight grip on her hand until they're down, and then she stops him to pull out her card for the subway. Minutes later, they're on a crowded train heading towards Greenwich Village.

He has a hand on the bar above their heads, but with nothing within reach for her to hold on to, she wraps her arms around his waist instead, making him chuckle. She grins up at him. "Don't let it go to your head, Doc. I use Baze and Bodhi this way, too. I can't reach that damned bar up there."

"Kay's going to ask me why I had to pick someone so short, just warning you." He looks down at her.

"Why would he care?" She's truly puzzled by that. "I mean, I'm short, but not all that short."

He smirks. "To Kay you will be. He's six-foot-six."

"Holy shit!" Jyn's eyes widen. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. He's even eight inches taller than me. Without your boots, you're what? Five-three?" He arches an eyebrow at her. When she nods, he says, "So fifteen inches taller than you. Even with the heels, still a foot taller. You get used to it. He's also skinny as a rail. Even at eight inches taller, he has maybe twenty, twenty-five pounds on me, tops."

"So, if he annoys me, just find a wind tunnel. Got it." She grins.

"No, just tell him you're a hacker. It'll drive him nuts. His firm just signed up with a new security group after they got hacked last month. He said he wasn't disgusted by the specs and proposals they sent, high praise indeed from Kay." Cassian smiles down at her again.

Jyn, on the other hand, is reeling, thinking no way, not possible. "Did he ever mention the name of the security group?"

"He did." Cassian furrows his brow. After a moment, he says, "I think it was MI Security Consultants. Not sure what the MI stands for."

"Malbus and Imwe." Jyn looks up at him. "It stands for Malbus and Imwe. Baze Malbus and Chirrut Imwe."

"You have to be kidding me, Jyn." He blinks. "The world cannot really be that small."

"That's where I was today. At the offices of Empire Limited Investment Bank. Is that where Kay works?" The look on his face is enough confirmation. She presses her face into his neck. "This is not possible. If they get hacked again, I'll never hear the end of it, will I? Your closest friend will hate me."

"Hey," he tries to get her to look at him, "Jyn." She tightens her arms around him, shaking her head. He sighs and leans down near her ear. "It will take a lot more than a cranky Kay to make me run from you. Cranky Kay will likely not be all that different from Happy Kay. Don't worry about it, querida."

She's silent for a few more moments. "Is he seriously six-six?"

"Maybe six-six-and-a-half." She groans, and he laughs. "Look at it this way – at least you'll have something to talk about."

"Not helping, Cass." She pokes him in the side.

"Lo siento, querida." He laughs again.

She can tell he isn't sorry at all, but she's kind of OK with that. She concentrates on how it feels to hold on to him. They just feel like they fit despite the height difference. Snuggling into him, she smiles into his neck. His free arm wraps around her as they come into the station two stops before the one they're going to, and they hold their position despite the fact that some seats open up.

It's funny to her. She's usually not so good with closeness or with silence. With Cassian, neither of those things bother her. He drops his head a little, and she can feel him resting his cheek against the side of her head. "Cass? This is really nice."

He nods against her head. "Yeah, it really is, isn't it?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Heeeeeere's KAY. And yeah. TUESDAY NIGHT. But this is still Teen, though arguably a strong Teen. You have been notified.**

 **Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.**

Jyn and Cassian make their way through the west Village, Cassian with his hand on Jyn's lower back again. As they walk, he says, "By the way, Kay doesn't shake hands. He can be a germaphobe. Don't try. He'll give you statistics on how likely it is to pass on bacteria. You should hear him sigh when I show up without using the lint roller. He freaks out at things like animal hair. That can actually be kind of fun to use to mess with him."

She chuckles. "Good to know, and if he annoys me, you know I'm going to do things like lick my fingers or kiss you before I grab food from a shared plate, right?"

"God help me. You two are going to either going to hate each other or have a weird, begrudging respect that makes you gang up on me." He knows that's a strange binary of potential outcomes, but he's oddly certain that it's accurate.

As Cassian guides Jyn up Hudson Street towards RedFarm, an upscale Dim Sum place that Kay favors (though Cassian is also a fan), she points out a sign right before they get to their destination. "Have you been to Decoy?"

He looks down at her, grinning. "Yes, it's amazing."

"We have to come here. Soon. With Bodhi and Luke, or Bodhi would never forgive me. It's one of our favorite places." She has a dreamy expression on her face.

Cassian loves that she can get that look over something as simple as Peking Duck. "Let's find out Luke's schedule, and we can get reservations."

"We have to get Bodhi's, too." She nods.

Furrowing his brow, Cassian says, "I never asked. What does Bodhi do?"

She grins. "His degree is in engineering, but he's been a licensed pilot since he was a teenager. He and Shara are Leia's private pilots."

They stop walking in front of the place they're meeting Kay. "Leia has two private pilots? Holy shit."

"She's completely loaded, and I say they're her private pilots – they're really pilots for her family businesses and charities to use. They operate out of Teterboro most of the time." Jyn shrugs. "We do Leia's security, and Baze and Chirrut did her father's, Bail Organa's, too. That's how we all met. I've known Leia since I was fourteen."

He blinks a few times. "I don't know if I connected all of that up in my mind until just now. She's Bail Organa's daughter, and Luke is her twin brother?"

Jyn nods. "Both adopted, separated at birth. I know it's a complex story. Luke tried to explain it once, but he got upset. I don't bug them about it too much, you know?"

Before Cassian can respond, a voice, one low and naturally given to sarcasm, stops him. "Cassian, why are you outside? If you were already here, it is illogical to stand out in the cold to wait. Has finding a female counterpart already degraded your thought processes?"

Jyn's eyes widen, thankfully in what appears to be amusement, and Cassian rolls his eyes and turns, shaking his head. "Hello to you, too, Kay." His friend approaches, looming over them both. His ghostly light grey eyes spark almost white in the dark evening, black hair perfectly neat, black jacket and pants and white dress shirt similarly impeccable despite it being the end of the day. Cassian takes Jyn's hand and pulls her closer. "Jyn, this is Kay Tuesso. Kay, Jyn Erso."

"Hello, Jyn Erso. You are very short." Kay lifts an eyebrow at Jyn.

Cassian is about to admonish Kay, but Jyn beats him to it, lifting an eyebrow in response. "Actually, Kay, I am only one inch shorter than the average for American women. You are probably eight inches above the average for American men. The only 'normal' one here is probably Cassian. But statistically speaking, you are the one who's an outlier here."

Cassian blinks in surprise at her, and she smirks. Kay examines her closely for a moment and then looks at Cassian. "She is acceptable." He then goes into the restaurant.

Jyn looks up at him. "That means he actually likes me, doesn't it?"

Cassian presses a kiss to her temple. "Yes. I think it does."

As they follow, Kay's voice drifts back to them. "But Cassian is taller than average for a man of Mexican origin. So none of us are, as you say, 'normal.'"

Jyn snorts, and Cassian grins. "Sí, he definitely likes you."

When they're settled at their table, drinks and Dim Sum round one ordered, Cassian says, "So, Kay, you hate statistical anomalies, right?"

Kay again lifts an eyebrow, making Jyn note, "Wow, he does that even more than we do. I wasn't sure that was possible."

Ignoring her, Kay responds to Cassian. "If you mean coincidences, I don't believe they exist. Even anomalies can be explained. Why do you ask?"

Jyn leans forward, taking a sip her red wine. "I hear that my cybersecurity specs and proposals didn't disgust you. I have it on good authority that is actually praise from you."

Cassian laughs softly, taking a drink of the same red wine that Jyn is drinking. Kay looks at Cassian almost accusingly. Knowing how much Kay hates surprises, Cassian holds up a hand. "We just figured it out on the train here, Kay."

Kay huffs a little, turning to Jyn. "You are affiliated with MI Security Consultants?"

"I'm the head of the cyber division. My adoptive dads are the M and I, though. They own the firm." She sips her wine again.

"Did you get your job via nepotism?" Kay levels an appraising look at her.

"Kay!" Cassian bristles.

Jyn puts her free hand on Cassian's leg under the table, squeezing gently before looking at Kay. "Absolutely. But they have a reputation to uphold. I had to out-hack to two other candidates to head the division. I did. By a mile. I also have a B.S. in Computer Science and an M.S. in Cybersecurity from NYU. And we got the gig, didn't we? I can't suck all that bad."

Cassian is impressed. Jyn appears completely unruffled. It occurs to him that she is no stranger to bullies, and it also occurs to him that him warning her about Kay probably helped her understand that this is likely not malicious, just that it's Kay being Kay. He moves his hand and wraps it around hers where it sits on his leg, squeezing gently.

Kay stares at her for a moment. "Incalculable." Jyn cocks her head at Kay, and he says, "The odds that you two would meet randomly are incalculable, particularly having you meet at the time when you did and in a city the size of New York."

He then turns to the menu, and Jyn turns to Cassian, grinning. He shakes his head, returning the smile. Relief floods through him. He knows that Jyn and Kay will likely bug each other, but the fact that they didn't hate each other on sight gives him hope. He leans down and presses a quick kiss to her lips. Without looking up, Kay grumbles. "Please attempt to limit your public displays of affection."

Rolling his eyes, Cassian shrugs. Jyn laughs softly, going back to her wine. Cassian does the same, peering at his own menu. Jyn mumbles, "I need Crispy Duck and Crab dumplings. And bacon and egg fried rice. Stat."

"We can make that happen, querida." He kisses her temple again, making Kay grumble.

"And more wine."

"Glad we got the bottle," he agrees, nodding.

######

Jyn yawns at her desk just after scarfing down a Starbucks bistro box for lunch (the PB&J box, something she's entirely unapologetic about). It's Tuesday, and she's slightly regretting the late evening and the wine from the night before. It had been a good dinner, though, and she didn't mind Kay, at least nowhere near as much as Cassian had been worried that she would.

She also can see that Kay is fiercely loyal to Cassian, something that is actually very meaningful to Jyn. She'd gone to the ladies room before they left last night, and as she'd returned to the table, she'd overheard Kay tell Cassian that he was impressed and that he believed her to be "a suitable match" for Cassian. From what Jyn has gleaned, she realizes that was not just approval but a ringing endorsement in Kay-speak.

They'd grabbed a cab home, Cassian having the driver drop her first. She'd kissed him goodnight in the back seat of the cab, and she can't wait to see him at his place tonight. She actually put on a matching bra and panty set just in case, but she isn't going to push anything if it doesn't feel like they're ready. That said, she has a plan in her head for tonight, one that includes a group text to Shara and the rest of the betting pool with some level of proof to be offered (PG-rated; well, maybe PG-13).

She shifts in her desk chair, leaning her head on one hand. Suddenly thankful that she has an office with a door, she lets herself nod off for a bit. She doesn't have any meetings this afternoon, and the team is already finalizing the project plan and workflow for their job with Kay's company. Forty-five minutes later, Jyn is startled awake by her phone ringing. She shakes her head and swallows hard, picking up the phone. It's actually the shelter telling her that Kyber's spaying went well. She grins. She and Bodhi are going over to the shelter on Friday afternoon to pick up their new pets.

She actually feels a little better after her quick nap, and she settles back in to work, going over a few new proposals she and Baze have to do next week. She looks at her watch, wondering exactly how long she has to stay today.

She then chides herself for being an overly self-interested slacker, and she actually applies herself to what she's working on, if only because she knows it's possible that she'll be in late tomorrow. Blushing lightly, she remembers Cassian kissing her last night (who is she kidding – they were making out like teenagers when they were riding home in the cab) and telling her that he closes the clinic late on Wednesday but doesn't go into the office until ten because of that. She responded that her calendar was clear tomorrow morning, too.

A knock at her door makes her look up. "Come in."

The door opens, and she smiles when she sees that it's Chirrut on the other side. He comes in, closing the door behind him and settling in one of her guest chairs. "Hello, Little One, how are you today?"

She smiles even though he can't see it. She loves that both Baze and Chirrut still call her that, the name Baze bestowed on her the day they met. "Good, Chirrut. What's up?"

"Nothing, just came by to check on my favorite daughter." He smirks.

"I'm your only daughter, Chirrut." She deadpans the words. This is not new banter for them.

He chuckles. "So, did you see your Dr. Andor last night?"

She smiles, her voice softening. "I did. I met his good friend, Kay, as well."

"Do tell, Little One." He leans back, cocking his head.

"He works for our new client, Empire." She sighs. "So, a lot of damned pressure for me to get that one perfect."

"My Jyn, perfection is the enemy of good. You know that." Chirrut chuckles. "Cassian said that he is basically a human computer."

Jyn snorts. "When it comes to numbers, maybe. But if he's a computer, he has sarcasm programming that should be patented."

"And the no social skills part?" Chirrut grins.

"Oh, that part's one hundred percent true." She laughs. "But he's oddly endearing – and he'd despise that I think that."

"Now, I have a more serious, though still personal, question for you, Little One." His voice changes, losing it's clear joking quality.

"OK, shoot. But you're making me nervous." Jyn leans forward at her desk.

"Did you figure out that they're betting on you and Cassian?" His expression is dark.

Jyn can hear the clear disapproval in Chirrut's voice, and she loves him all the more for it. "I wasn't surprised, but I didn't figure it out. Shara ratted them out and then placed a bet that we're in on."

Chirrut's voice lightens again. "It's soon, isn't it?"

Jyn blushes crimson. "Tonight," she replies softly. Chirrut's face turns to concern again, and Jyn quickly says, "I can't believe I'm saying this to my dad, but Chirrut, the only thing that stopped us last night was the bet. I damn near jumped him in a cab. Even so, we already agreed that we'll move forward because it's right, not because of the pay day. It's good timing, though. And don't be negative about it to Cassian, Chirrut. He was more hesitant than me when I showed him Shara's texts."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Little One." Chirrut stands to leave. "But Jyn?"

"Yes?"

He gives her a devilish grin. "Make her split it three ways. Don't give her half."

She gets up and goes over to him, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "Way ahead of you on that one, Chirrut."

"That's my girl." He reaches up and cups her cheek with his palm. "I like him, by the way. You'll be good for each other."

She nods, covering his hand on her cheek with her own. "We already are."

He heads out after one gentle pat to her cheek, and she smiles as she watches him go. She goes back to her desk and settles in to work. Before she knows it, it's six. She packs up her messenger bag, pulling a bottle of white wine from her mini fridge and slipping it into the side pocket. She then pulls her coat on, grabs a small pack that has what she needs for an overnight at Cassian's, and throws her messenger bag across her body.

She leaves quickly, trying to not get caught in conversation with anyone. She took the subway today, so in moments, she's settled in on the E train to get her to his place. She told him she'd be there by seven, and driving from Midtown can be murder.

She thinks about tonight, shifting a little nervously. She didn't dress up; since she had no outside meetings today, she's actually in leggings, a simple tunic dress with a turtleneck, and low-heeled ankle boots. It's a winter uniform for her, as it gives both warmth and comfort. She didn't want to be obvious or sexual – he seems to like her casual anyway.

It's drafty on the train, and she wraps her coat tighter around herself, missing having him to hang on to like they did on the way to dinner last night. She has clung to Bodhi or Baze the same way in the past, but while the action was similar, the feelings behind it were decidedly different. Cassian makes her feel safe, but in a way that doesn't make her want to bristle defensively. Baze can be over-protective, and with Bodhi, she protects him more than he protects her, something she's just fine with.

It takes nearly forty minutes to get there, and when she's climbing the stairs up from the subway, her phone dings with a text message. "You on your way?"

She smiles and texts back. "Be there in less than 10."

"K. Doorman will let you up."

True to her word, she gets to his building about eight minutes later, relishing the warmth of the lobby. She nods to the doorman, pausing to see if he needs to talk to her, but he just waves her towards the elevator. Cassian's door is open when she gets to his floor (and oh my it smells good), so she goes right in, rapping her knuckles on the door frame as she enters.

He calls to her to come to the kitchen, so she closes the door behind her, dropping her coat and her bags on the sofa. She toes off her boots, leaving them by the door, and she pulls out the wine and heads to the kitchen in socked feet. When she gets there, he's pulling out some pasta, still dressed from work, but like her, in just his socks. Putting the wine bottle into his fridge, she walks up behind him where he is at the stove, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his back. "Hi."

"Hi back," he replies. He drops some pasta in a pot of boiling water, and then he turns in her arms, leaning down and kissing her soundly. When he pulls back, he leans away and looks down, grinning at her feet. "Knew you were a little shorter today."

She snorts. "Yeah, don't expect three-inch heels every day. My poor feet would hate me."

"I don't mind, and you look adorable, by the way. I like your dress." He loops some hair behind her ear and kisses her forehead.

She doesn't usually like being told she's adorable or cute, but from him she knows it's sincere and not a backhanded remark. She just smiles and peeks around him. "That smells divine. Scampi?"

He nods. "I figured if we both have garlic, it's OK."

"Works for me. I love garlic." She leans up, grabbing his shoulders to pull him down to her, trying to let him know just how much she approves of the food.

######

Fifteen minutes later, they're sitting down to eat. As Jyn digs into her pasta and shrimp, she lets loose a moan that momentarily distracts him from his own food. He knows he's staring at her over the table. She notices, and, blushing pink, says, "Sorry. It's really good."

He leans across the small table and kisses her. "You never have to apologize for making that sound, querida."

She bites her lip, and he blinks in surprise when her foot finds his under the table, snaking around his ankle. She re-applies herself to her dinner, and he does the same. As they eat, she eventually says, "I'm trying to remember the last time I made it to four dates with someone."

He grins. "For me, it was college – undergrad."

"Technically, I'd say it was my last boyfriend, who I dumped last year, but we didn't really date, per se. We went on one date, then he'd drag me out to sports bars with his buddies and ignore me." She rolls her eyes. "I can't believe I wasted six months on that guy only to find out that not only was he a shitty date, he was also banging someone else."

He bumps her shoulder with his. "He was an idiot."

She looks at him. "So was 'Ithaca is too cold' girl, for the record."

He ducks his head, smiling. "Yeah. Maybe so. But it got us here, so I'm good with it."

She rubs her foot up and down his leg, and it sends a shiver through him. "Me too."

They're silent for a while, just eating and enjoying the companionable quiet before she says, "Chirrut came to my office today to make sure I knew about the betting."

He chuckles – he got over being embarrassed about it in the cab last night. Considering the show they put on for the poor cab driver, he can't get too twisted up about some inappropriate betting. "Was he upset about it?"

"Not really, though I imagine Baze got or will get an earful. Once he was sure we'd only be acting on it if it was right, he just told me to make Shara split the money three ways with us, not half. I told him we were way ahead of him on that one." She rubs his leg again.

He pushes his mostly-empty plate away, taking a sip of his wine. Then, he says, "You have to stop doing that, Jyn."

"What, this?" She purrs out the words, dragging her foot up his leg again, this time more slowly.

"Yes, that." He confirms, leaning towards her and kissing her again, his hand sliding into her hair. She gasps into the kiss, and his tongue finds hers. She tastes like garlic and Pinot Grigio, and he enjoys that more than makes sense. He starts to slide out from the table, and she follows him, never breaking the kiss.

When he's almost standing, he moves his hands and lifts her into a bridal carry, and she breaks the kiss to laugh as she wraps her arms around his neck. "That was pretty smooth, there, Andor."

"Not really," he shrugs lightly, "You don't know how close I came to losing my balance and sending us both to the floor."

She looks down. "At least you have a rug. It might be OK down there. But the bed would be better."

"Are you sure, Jyn? We don't have to do this tonight." The words pain him, because the feel of her small, firm body in his arms is sending all the blood in his body rushing south.

She presses herself closer to him, kissing him hard. Against his lips, she mumbles, "Definitely sure. Take me to bed, Cass."

"Yes, ma'am." He feels a surge of something warm in his chest. Without any further hesitation, he takes her to his bedroom, kicking the door shut behind them. He puts her down gently on the bed, and she turns enough to reach up and start unbuttoning his shirt. She pulls it loose from his jeans and pushes it off of his shoulders. She then pulls his white t-shirt loose, too, and he pulls it over his head. Her fingertips trace lightly over the muscles in his chest and arms, making him shiver again, and he says, "No fair, querida. We're out of balance here."

She lifts herself up enough to pull her dress up, and he pulls it and her turtleneck over her head, leaving her in a black lacy bra, hair askew. His eyes widen and he takes a deep breath, his mind nearly short circuiting at the sight. She smirks. "So, I can see on your face that you approve of the bra?"

He swallows hard and moves in, kissing along the column of her neck and down to her collarbone. She makes a happy sound, and then she giggles. "Your beard is tickling me."

She scoots backwards, moving further onto the bed, and she lifts up her hips, peeling her leggings off and taking her socks with them. He has to swallow hard when he sees that her panties match her bra. They also leave very little to the imagination. "Dios mío, Jyn, are you trying to kill me?"

"Not a bad way to go, is it?" She gets up on her knees and comes back to the edge of the bed, reaching for him.

He moves willingly, letting her draw him in. She then gets one hand on his waist and one on his shoulder, and she pulls him to her. He stumbles a little, but she's clearly ready. She manages to flip him to his back and straddle him in a surprisingly graceful manner. He grins up at her, reaching up and pulling her hair free from its updo. "Definitely not a bad way to go."

She leans forward, caging his upper body with hers, and she leans down, starting to explore his neck the way he did hers a moment ago. He lets her do what she wants, and his hands move up her back, finding the clasp of her bra. She can clearly tell what he's doing, because she pulls up a little, lifting an eyebrow at him. He asks, "This OK?"

She nods and smiles shyly. "Yes."

He unclasps the bra, sliding it down her arms. His breath catches at the sight of her, and he softly says, "Jyn, you are so beautiful."

She blushes lightly, the pink going all the way down her chest, and she leans forward, pressing her bare upper body to his. He groans quietly at the contact, and he puts his hand in her hair, pulling her lips back down to his. Her hands move down to his belt, and his last coherent thought for a while is that he can't believe how right this feels.

######

Some time later, Jyn is sprawled across his chest, drawing patterns with her fingertips. He's on his back, gently combing a hand through her hair. Every nerve ending in her body feels alive, and she's fairly sure she hasn't felt this good ever before in her life. She turns her head and presses an open-mouthed kiss to his chest. The comforter on his bed is drawn up over both of them, and she is running her foot up and down on his calf again, this time skin on skin.

He leans down, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "That was amazing."

She nods. "Especially for a first time." She looks up at him, perching her chin on his chest. "You set the bar awfully high, Dr. Andor."

He chuckles, his chest rumbling with the sound. "No pressure, right?"

She smiles, and something suddenly occurs to her. "What time is it?"

She watches as he turns and looks at the clock. "It's not quite nine."

"Excellent." She moves, slipping away from him and out of the bed. He makes a disapproving sound, and she rolls her eyes. "This will only take a minute, Cass."

He pushes up on his elbows, watching her. She grabs his white t-shirt and pulls it on, and she can tell from the expression on his face that he approves of the look. She then gathers her dress, his jeans and her bra. She throws the dress and jeans on the floor by the door, and she runs out into his living room, grabbing her phone and coming back. She closes the bedroom door again and hangs her bra on the door knob. She then steps back and snaps a quick picture of the clothes and bra.

When she's done, she climbs back into the bed, already getting cold. She can feel that he put his boxers on while she was getting her phone; she snuggles close to him again, and she opens up a group text on her phone. She sends the photo to Leia, Han, Lando, Baze, Shara, Kes, Bodhi, and Luke with the message, "Pay up, you jackasses – Shara, cash is fine. And all of you, stop betting on us. You will continue to lose. Seriously Baze, betting on when your daughter would get laid? NOT OK. Chirrut did not approve."

She shows the picture and the message to Cassian, who laughs out loud. "OK to send?"

He nods. "Go for it, but you know Kes, Han, and Lando might be a little gross about your bra, right?"

"I know. But the only pain in the ass there will be Lando – Shara and Leia will kick Kes's and Han's respective asses if they're too icky." She shrugs and hits send. She then turns the ringer off on the phone and puts it on the nightstand.

He goes back to combing his hand through her hair. "You're going to stay, right?

She frowns a little at the uncertainty in his voice. She presses another kiss to his chest and molds herself into his side. "There's nowhere else that I'd rather be, Cass. Literally nowhere else."

She feels him relax slightly. They go quiet then, but the silence is broken a moment later when her phone starts buzzing like crazy. She laughs, picking it up and turning it off. "I'll deal with all of them tomorrow."

"Good." He moves quickly, flipping her to her back as she had done with him. "Because I'd really rather that you be dealing with me right now."

"What did you have in mind, Doc?" She lifts an eyebrow.

"I'll show you." He pushes his t-shirt back up and off of her, and he pulls the covers up over them. She can definitely think of worse ways to spend a Tuesday night, that's for damn sure.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Before you ask, I probably won't write the smut scene - I don't really enjoy writing smut. : )


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Fluffapalooza. That is all.**

 **Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.**

Early Friday afternoon, Jyn and Bodhi head towards the SPCA adoption center to collect their new pets. Bodhi is almost vibrating with happy, something that makes Jyn happy, too. Bodhi can have his dark moments, and to see him nearly bouncingly joyful about something is so different from the Bodhi she used to have to protect in foster care that Jyn is almost dizzy from the change.

As she maneuvers them across Manhattan, Bodhi looks over at her. "So, how much have you and Cassian been apart since last Saturday?"

She looks at him sharply, biting back a defensive retort when she sees that he's teasing but not mocking. She softens. "As little as possible." She gives him a shy smile. It's the truth, too. Except for work and the time apart on Sunday and Monday nights, they've basically been together. "I'm sorry if I've been neglecting you, Bodes."

Bodhi frowns. "Jyn, you haven't been neglecting me. I'm a grown man, and I'm damned happy for you. Also, with Luke sick, it's not like I could be anywhere but with him." He refers to the fact that Luke came down with Strep on Monday and hasn't been able to go to the hospital since. He's not due to go back until a night shift on Sunday. Bodhi goes on, "Anyway, Jyn, Cassian is awesome, and you two are pretty perfect for each other, you know?"

She nods. "Yeah, I do know. I'm nervous about it. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"What do you mean?" Bodhi cocks his head at her.

"I've never dated someone who I didn't fight with, who didn't piss me off more than half the time. I keep waiting for him to be a complete asshole to me." Jyn is embarrassed to admit this to Bodhi, but he just shakes his head.

"Jynnie, you dated assholes before. That's why they were assholes to you." He reaches across the car and gently pats her leg. "Cassian is definitely not an asshole."

"I know. Not that I regret it, because I have never cared for someone the way I care for Cass, but why did I do that? What the hell was the matter with me?" Jyn chews her lip, suddenly frustrated with herself.

Bodhi shrugs. "Maybe it was safer." Jyn glances over at him, and he goes on, "Jyn, Cassian is the first guy you've ever dated who was good enough for you. He's the first guy you've dated who could really be someone to you. The rest of them were safe because they were assholes. Nothing real was ever going to happen with any of them. You'd never get your heart broken."

Jyn thinks about that for a while, and Bodhi remains quiet while she does. After a few minutes, she sighs. "You're right, of course. Thirteen years of therapy, totally paying off."

Bodhi laughs out loud. "If it makes you feel any better, Jyn, I'm sure you guys will disagree on something sooner or later."

Jyn huffs. "He wouldn't let me help cook dinner last night."

"That's just self-preservation. You told me you almost set his kitchen on fire Wednesday morning." Bodhi gives her an incredulous look.

"I can't cook on gas, you know that." Jyn defends herself, looking at him as they sit at a light, but then she deflates. "I just wanted to do something nice for him."

"Jyn, sweetheart, you can't cook at all. You can bake – but you cannot cook to save your life, and you know it." Bodhi pats her leg again. "Order take out and make him cookies, if you want to 'make' him dinner. I'll even call him and vouch for your ability to bake. He's coming to your place tonight, though, isn't he?"

"Yes." She nods. "He said we should get Kyber comfortable at my place first, then take her to his. Is it nuts that I told him to bring what he needs for a few nights?"

"Did he act like he thought it was crazy?" Bodhi just smiles at her.

"No, he just asked if he should pick up any groceries since he may be there when we get back with the kitties." She refocuses on the road as the light turns green.

"OK, Jyn, not crazy. And he already has a key to your apartment and the doorman knows to let him in?" Bodhi's voice gives away that he's grinning like a fool.

Jyn feels her cheeks go warm. "Yes. And I have a key to his."

"Oh my God!" Bodhi bounces and literally claps his hands in his seat. "Jyn! That is important information! You exchanged keys! Why didn't you tell me when it happened?"

Jyn scoffs. "It's not that big a deal, Bodes."

"Seriously? Have you ever given anyone a key before?" Bodhi deadpans.

Damn it, Jyn knows that he's right. "Fine. It's a big deal. Shut up now."

"Shutting up." Bodhi tries to sound serious and respectful, but he fails miserably. After a few minutes of silence, Jyn almost tears up when Bodhi softly offers, "I'm really, really happy for you, Jynnie. Don't be afraid of it. Maybe you were both just waiting for each other without realizing it."

"You mean like soulmates or something?" She can't help but sound skeptical.

"Exactly like that. Jyn, you two just," he pauses, "Fit. You fit. He even puts up with all of our nonsense. You know the only reason Baze got in on the betting was to mess with you, right? To push you? We all think Chirrut is the eerily perceptive one, but Baze is damned good at seeing the truth, too."

Jyn just nods, gripping the wheel and the gearshift tight in her hands. She breathes in and out, trying to settle herself. "Soulmates. Do you think you and Luke - "

He cuts her off. "No. I love him. Can't see a future without him. But it wasn't easy. We both had to put aside some shit to get where we are. We had to adjust to each other. You and Cassian, not so much. It's not the same. I'm not saying it'll always be perfect, Jyn. I'm saying that you two are both capable and smart, and you both seem to just accept each other's shit. That's not a small or simple thing."

Jyn considers Bodhi's words as she pulls into the small lot at the SPCA. She has never been one to believe in things like soulmates, but it honestly feels not-at-all farfetched all of a sudden. She's certain that she's head over heels in love with Cassian, though she's still too scared to tell him. Turning off the car, she decides to set that all aside for now. She's got a cat to pick up. She grins. "Come on, Bodes. Pet parenting time."

######

Cassian waves at Jyn's doorman as he heads inside her building. The man gives him a knowing smile, and Cassian has to roll his eyes slightly. He heads for the elevator, shaking his head. Jyn had said she'd let them know that Cassian could be let up, and he's glad he didn't have to go talk to him, given the shit-eating grin.

He's not sure if Jyn and Bodhi will be back yet, though he certainly expects them by now. He winces, just hoping that Jyn isn't trying to cook. He seriously has no idea how she nearly managed to set scrambled eggs on fire. He's also vaguely concerned by the fact that he found it more endearing than horrifying. She's so damned capable, and it was adorable to watch her so beside herself about it.

The elevator dings, and he steps out onto her floor, heading down the hallway to her apartment. He loves his place, but he actually really likes hers, too. It's cozier and more lived-in feeling than his, at least to him. He knows that some of that is a function of it being so much smaller, maybe half the size of his place, tops, but reasons aside, he is happy to come back here even as he wonders how long he has to wait to bring up her possibly moving in with him. He already got a litter box, bowls, and food for Kyber and added an afghan to the back of the sofa for Jyn, who is almost always cold.

He can't even begin to imagine going to sleep without her in his arms, so until they do co-habitate, he knows it'll just be going back and forth between his place and hers. He's known her just under a week, a total of six nights, and for four of those, they've shared a bed. It's not about the sex, either. The sex is great, even pretty spectacular, but it's the closeness, the intimacy that is what he's been missing.

He had lunch with Melshi at the clinic today, and Scott had gently pushed him about Jyn, telling him that he thought she was pretty great, what little he'd seen. While they'd been eating, Maz had come by, and without pausing, she'd just said, "Inside of a year, you'll be married to that girl, and it's about damned time you two found each other. I can tell she's been as alone as you, mijo. Don't mess it up, you hear me?"

It had made him blink rapidly, staring after the old woman. Scott had laughed out loud. "Maz is never wrong, you know. And seriously, Andor, I've never seen you fall for anyone, and I've known you seven damned years. I can tell that she already matters a lot to you. You are head over heels, my friend."

Cassian had nodded, unable to argue with either of them. Kay is his closest friend, but Scott is a good guy. He's married with two kids, living not far from the office. Wedge is still single, and he's too much of a player for Cassian, always trying to get him to come out as his wing man. It's just not Cassian's thing, never was. The way he met Jyn feels like a validation of that in an odd way.

He blinks, realizing that he's been standing at her door for a couple of minutes. He shakes his head and knocks. He has her key, but he doesn't want to startle her if she is here. A moment later, he hears a noise behind the door, and then it opens. She's grinning, and the cat is literally standing on her shoulder.

He grins back, coming in and putting down his duffle bag and a back pack. He then shrugs out of his parka, hanging it on a hook in the hall. She closes the door and leans up to kiss Cassian, and he laughs, because the cat takes that as an invitation to find a new perch. She leaps effortlessly from Jyn's shoulder to his larger and apparently more accommodating one. He lets Jyn kiss him, and then he straightens back up, turning his head to peer at his new passenger. The cat meows softly at him and head butts his cheek.

Jyn's smile softens. "I think she remembers you."

"So it would seem," he replies, "She's a sweet girl." He gently picks her up, moving her back to Jyn's shoulder.

Jyn gives him a conspiratorial look. "She doesn't like Bodhi or Luke. She hissed at them. She tolerated Bodhi's kitten, though, that poor thing. They gave him an odd name."

"What did they name him?" Cassian cocks his head at her.

"Yoda. I have no idea what the hell that's about. It was apparently Luke's idea." She shrugs, making the cat yowl softly in protest.

He is about to say something else when there is a dinging sound, and he suddenly realizes that the apartment smells really good. She walks towards the small kitchen, and he follows, sitting down on a stool at the island, which doubles as a breakfast bar/table. She pulls Kyber from her shoulder, passing the small cat to Cassian. He tries to put her in his lap, but she just uses her claws to scale his sweater to get back to his shoulder, making him chuckle.

Jyn opens the oven, and she pulls out a tray of chocolate chip cookies. She puts them on top of the stove and flips the oven off. "So, you were right. I can't cook. But, I can bake. I made you cookies." There's a knock at the door, and she waves at him to stay seated. He hears the door open and soft voices, and then the door closes and she comes back with a paper bag. "And I ordered Chinese food."

He laughs. "Perfect."

A short while later, they settle down to eat, Kyber wolfing down cat food from her bowl on the floor. They have Chinese food boxes all over the island, chopsticks shoved into each. They're just sharing. "Kay would be appalled," Cassian observes, after Jyn eats some Kung Pow Chicken and then passes the box to him.

She laughs. "No double-dipping for Mr. Roboto, eh?"

He shakes his head. "Decidedly not."

"Given how much we've had our tongues in each other's mouths in the past week, I'd say communal Chinese food is kind of bush league in terms of sharing germs." She smirks, and he laughs out loud.

"Good point." He grins and takes a bite from one of the boxes. "Maybe that's why Kay doesn't date. The thought of any sort of fluid exchange sends him running."

Jyn snorts, but then she leans over and kisses Cassian hard on the mouth. When she pulls back, she says, "Ooh. That Mongolian Beef is good. Where's the box?"

He rolls his eyes and passes it to her. Then, a thought occurs to him. "Next time he's annoying me about something, we'll have to go for Dim Sum again, just so we can do that – kiss each other to taste something and then eat off of each other's plates using the same utensils or chopsticks."

"Oh dear, Dr. Andor. I think I may be a bad influence on you." She bats her eyes at him. "It's kinda sexy."

"Only kinda sexy?" He lifts an eyebrow at her.

"A little." She starts rubbing her foot up and down on his leg again.

He grins, putting the food down. She does the same, giving him a challenging look. He has to admit that her challenging look is infinitely sexier than any flirtatious batting of her eyes. He stands up, and without warning, he leans down and grabs her by the waist, picking her up over his shoulder. She shrieks in surprise first, but by the time he starts walking towards the alcove where her bed is, she's laughing. He feels a flash of relief at that. He'd have put her down immediately if she'd demanded it.

As it is, he sits her gently down on the bed. She grins up at him, reaching up and pulling him down to the bed with her. She flips him over, straddling him. "OK, it's more than a little sexy."

She leans down, kissing him, and his hands slide up to grip her rear before slipping up under her sweatshirt. They break apart when they hear a yowl, and they look towards the living room. Kyber is on the back of the sofa, ears back, staring at them. He starts laughing, and Jyn does, too. She leans back down, sucking lightly at a sensitive place under his ear. He groans, and he mumbles, "We have a witness here. That's going to take some getting used to."

She giggles against his neck. "Might as well practice, you know, so we can get accustomed to it."

"Practice does make perfect." He captures her lips with his. As he does, he flips them again, hovering over her. He pulls his sweater and t-shirt off, and then he does the same with her sweatshirt, taking a deep breath when he sees that she's not wearing anything underneath it. He looks back at the cat. "You might want to hide, Kyber. Things are about to get a little noisy in here."

Jyn laughs, moving her hands to his waist. "Very noisy. Sorry, kitty."

######

The next morning, Jyn wakes up tucked into Cassian's side and with Kyber asleep on the pillow next to her head. She can tell that Cassian is also still out by his steady, deep breaths. After they'd scared the ever-loving shit out of Kyber the night before, they'd gone back to the kitchen to put the Chinese food away and grab a plate of cookies. The empty plate is on her nightstand, and he'd shown her his appreciation for the cookies in a fairly creative way. She'd definitely approved of the method.

He'd also told her that he's taking a break from volunteering at the shelter for at least until after the holidays, as he wants to spend the time with her. She told him he didn't have to, but he'd sheepishly confessed that one of his main reasons for doing it was to have some place to go on Saturdays. That had hurt her heart a little, but he'd just kissed her and said it was something he loved and he found her because of it. He also said he'll go back to it, just not right now.

The shelter, according to Cassian, had enough volunteers and had apparently been understanding and promised that they had enough staff even for this weekend. He told her he would've gone in if they'd said they needed him when he called them on Monday. That was what had gotten her attention the most – that he'd called them on Monday.

The waves of affection that she has for this man take her breath away. She's fairly certain that she's completely in love with him, but she's afraid to say it – she's never said it to anyone in a romantic context. Instead, she finds herself thinking about Christmas. She's not particularly religious, but she, Baze, Chirrut, and Bodhi always have done Christmas, complete with big, obnoxious tree, huge dinner (Jyn bakes for it), and presents that are meant to be more fun than material.

He shifts next to her, and he moves to his side, pulling her even closer. His eyes remain closed, but she can tell that he's waking up. She nuzzles her face into his neck, leaning down and kissing along his collarbone. He shifts again, dragging her closer. "Good morning."

She smiles against his skin. "Good morning." She goes back to his neck, dropping open-mouthed kisses up to the edge of his beard. His hands move down her body, quickly finding skin. She's just wearing his t-shirt, him a pair of sleep pants, and it only takes a few moments for them to both be naked again. A few moments after that, the amount of movement on the bed sends Kyber scurrying away, meowing crossly at them, making them both laugh before they once again lose themselves in each other.

An hour later, fresh from a shower taken together (something far easier to accomplish at his place), Jyn, hair still damp, is dressed in leggings, wool socks, and an oversized sweatshirt, perched on the counter in the corner of her kitchen. He's making french toast and bacon for them, dressed similarly to her, sweatpants, socks, and a long-sleeved t-shirt, his hair similarly damp. She'd bought the food at the store yesterday, buying the same things she'd seen in his fridge and cupboards at his place.

She takes a sip of coffee from the mug in her hands. "I know we're to go over to Baze and Chirrut's tonight, but do you want to go get a Christmas tree with me today?"

He looks up at her with a smile. "I'd love that. I haven't had a tree since Tía Silvia passed away."

She furrows her brow. "Why not?"

He shrugs, putting some bacon on the large plate he has ready for the food. "I don't know – it just felt silly to do one just for me."

"What about Kay? Or people from work? You weren't alone, were you?" She can't help but feel a little appalled and sad – the holidays can be hard for people without families. She remembers the bleak years with Saw, but at least she and Bodhi had each other.

He shrugs again. "Kay hates the holidays – he thinks they're frivolous. The others have families. I usually would go have lunch with Maz on the 26th, though."

She puts her mug to the side and hops down from the counter, coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Do you want to spend Christmas with us this year? It's nothing special, but dinner is always good and the presents are always completely cheesy. We usually sleep over at Chirrut and Baze's apartment in Brooklyn, and we do presents while still in PJs, the whole, silly shebang."

She feels him pull in a shaky breath as he moves the last of the toast to the large plate and turns the stove off. "I'd really like that. Are you sure I wouldn't be intruding?"

Shaking her head, she puts her hands on his waist and pushes at him so that he turns in her arms. She leans up and kisses him. Between kisses, she says, "Of course I'm sure, Cass." She pulls back enough to see him clearly. The look in his eyes – a heartbreaking combination of hopefulness, warmth, and years of pain and loss makes all of the fear she's been feeling melt away. "No way in hell is someone I love spending Christmas alone."

He blinks rapidly. His eyes meeting hers. "Someone you – what?"

She swallows hard, pushing the fear away again. Softly, she repeats, "Someone I love. I love you, Cass. I know it's too fast, and you probably think I'm crazy, and you'll probably bolt as soon as you can gracefully do so, but yes, I am head over heels, completely in love with you."

He blinks a few more times, and then, just as the silence grows long enough to make her start to panic a little, a smile slowly spreads across his face, lighting his eyes. His hands come up and cup her face, eyes full of wonder as his thumbs gently brush over her cheekbones. "I love you, too, querida." He then leans down and kisses her, moving his hands down to pull her close to him.

After several moments, he pulls back, leaning down and pressing his face into her neck. He's quiet, but she knows how he feels. It's terrifying and yet right in a way she never expected anything to feel. She rubs her head against the top of his. Kyber even comes over, snaking against both of their legs. She then smiles. "Now come on. Breakfast is getting cold, and cold french toast sucks."

He chuckles against her. "Yes, it does." He straightens up, brushing her hair back out of her eyes. He's clearly a little overwhelmed. "Jyn, I – "

She nods. "Yeah, I know." She repeats his gesture, brushing his hair back. "I know." She smiles. "Now, breakfast, Andor."


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait – updates will be slow, I'm afraid, as real life interferes. But this will continue. A wee bit of angst, but mostly fluff here. Also, apologies in advance if my Spanish translations suck.**

 **Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.**

Cassian peers up at the building in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn. Jyn turns in to the parking garage attached to the building. It's clear that it's a converted old commercial structure, one that's now loft apartments. It looks, in a word, expensive. Jyn can clearly see that Cassian is impressed. She pulls into a parking spot in the garage, and she looks at him. "Yeah, I said they were loaded, but honestly, they got in on the earlier side of the gentrification of Brooklyn. Their unit is probably worth three times what they paid for it when they bought in almost twenty years ago."

His eyes widen. "Twenty years?"

She nods. "Yes. When Bodhi and I moved in with them thirteen years ago, they'd been here over six years." She gets out, collecting Kyber's soft carrier from the back seat.

He follows, grabbing the bag from the back seat. It's loaded with wine and some of the cookies Jyn made as well as some tamales he'd pulled from his freezer when they went by to set up his small Christmas tree earlier. Jyn had insisted that they both get one. Right now, it's just covered with colorful lights, but he has his aunt's old ornaments in a box in storage. He's planning to go pull them out later this week, and Jyn promised to help him decorate it.

Kyber had wandered all over his apartment when they went by to pick up the tamales and set up his tree. Jyn had actually panicked when she heard crunching from his kitchen, then basically melted when she saw that he had bowls of food and water out for the little cat. The make out session that ensued then put them behind schedule.

The cat was with them because they'd dropped by on the way to Brooklyn. He'd honestly forgotten that he has a parking space in his building; he'd leased it to someone for a couple of years, but they moved last summer, and he hasn't re-leased it yet. He won't now. Jyn had laughed at him when it occurred to him, but he'd just shrugged and smiled, giving the control card for the garage entrance to her to keep.

They head towards an elevator, and Jyn motions to her left with her head, indicating a small SUV. "Kes and Shara are here. Two, well, three, more strays adopted by Baze and Chirrut, though less officially than me and Bodhi."

Cassian smiles. Betting aside, he likes the pair very much. If nothing else, he liked getting to have a casual conversation in Spanish last week; he doesn't get to do that often, and doing so always makes him a little nostalgic for home. Despite that, and despite having met Baze and Chirrut before, though, he's nervous. This is different than hanging out in a big group at a bar.

As he follows her to the elevator to her dads' loft, he can't help but marvel at the last week. If someone had told him ten days ago that he'd have a girlfriend (who he is head over heels in love with), an instant family, an exponential increase to the number of friends he has, and actual plans for Christmas by today, he'd have laughed in their face. He isn't willing to waste much time on thinking about it, though. It feels amazingly right, and that's good enough for him.

They step into an elevator. They're alone, and she moves into his space, pushing up on her toes and kissing him gently. "Relax, Cass. They all like you a lot. You don't have any reason to be nervous, OK?"

He blinks, surprised that she noticed. Then he sighs, running his free hand through his hair. "Sí, OK. I know. It's just, family, you know?"

She cocks her head, a soft expression on her face. She leans up and kisses his cheek and then nuzzles his face with her nose. "I know." The elevator doors open, and she steps away, heading out of the elevator with him right behind her. Jyn stops in front of a large door, grabbing the handle and sliding it. It moves easily, and Cassian's eyes widen a little as he follows her inside the apartment. She calls, "Baze, Chirrut? We're here."

Jyn puts the carrier down, and Cassian slides the door closed behind them. As Jyn straightens up, Cassian hears a little voice calling, "Aunt Jyn-Jyn," and he looks up to see a tiny blur come around the corner and slam into Jyn's legs.

She laughs and hoists her assailant into her arms. Cassian grins. Jyn is holding a little boy that is undeniably the child of Kes and Shara, no more than three, with a wild mop of dark, curly hair that rivals Shara's and wide, excited brown eyes. "Fly, Jyn!" Jyn laughs again and gets the boy around the waist, lifting him into the air. He squeals happily, and Jyn loosens her grip and lets the boy drop, catching him easily.

"Don't break my kid, Erso." Kes joins them in the foyer, a grin belying his words and tone.

Jyn rolls her eyes. "Whatever, Dameron. Just because you hate flying doesn't mean that everyone does."

A soft meow comes from the carrier, so Cassian looks at Kes and holds out his bags. "Kes, do you mind taking these?"

"Sure, man. Good to see you again." Kes grins sheepishly, taking the bags. "And Shara said I have to say I'm sorry about the bet."

Cassian laughs at the phrasing. "It's fine, Kes." He crouches down and opens the carrier. Kyber looks up at him, and she goes to him quickly, hopping to his leg and then scaling up to his shoulder as he straightens up.

Kes's eyes widen, but it's the little boy who reverently says, "Kitty?"

Jyn smiles. Cassian's heart flips over at the sight of Jyn snuggling the little boy close to her as she says, "Yes, Poe, that's Kyber, Aunt Jyn's new kitty."

"Poe hold?" The boy's wide brown eyes are transfixed on the small cat.

"If she'll let you, sweetheart." Jyn nods. "Let's go to the sofa, OK?"

She walks into the apartment, and Cassian follows, looking around. The ceilings are high and industrial, the floors polished concrete, but the whole apartment feels warm and inviting, with thick, fluffy rugs on the floors and tapestries on the high walls. Large windows afford a view of the East River, and Cassian can see that there's a nice-sized terrace outside. There's also a tall, very simply-decorated Christmas tree in the corner, with gifts already resting at the base. It's honestly a little intimidating.

He takes a deep breath, trailing Jyn towards the sofa. She sits, Poe still in her arms. She turns slightly, settling the boy next to her on the sofa, and she motions to Cassian, who sits on Poe's other side. The boy seems to truly notice him for the first time. He shrinks a little bit towards Jyn. Cassian looks up at Kes, who is watching closely. Softly, Kes says, "Speak Spanish to him, Cass. My mom does and so do Shara and I. He loves it, and he speaks and understands both English and Spanish."

Cassian nods and turns back to Poe. "Hola, Poe. Soy Cassian, el nuevo amigo de tu Tía Jyn."

Poe brightens, moving closer to Cassian again. "Hola, Cass, um, Cass – eee – an?"

"Just call me Cass, pequeño." Cassian holds his hand out to Poe.

Poe takes it, trying to shake. "K, Cass. I hold Kyber Kitty?"

Cassian chuckles as he pulls his hand back. "Sí. Now sit still, OK? I can see if Kyber will come play. You have to be quiet and gentle, though. Can you do that?"

######

Poe nods solemnly at Cassian's question. Jyn rises from the sofa, going to stand next to Kes as Cassian speaks softly to Kyber, coaxing her down from his shoulder. She lets him move her from his shoulder to his lap. He looks at Poe. "Show her your hand, pequeño." Cassian shows Poe how to present his hand to the little cat.

Jyn basically feels her ovaries damn near exploding as she watches. Kes peers at her, and he smiles knowingly. Quietly, he says, "You are such a goner, Erso." She looks at him sharply, but she doesn't see anything but softness in Kes's usually-humor-filled gaze. "I'm glad for you. Both of you. I like him, by the way."

She nods, her sharp look turning into a shy smile. "Thanks, Kes. I like him, too."

He bumps her with his hip. "I'll take this stuff to the kitchen." He lifts the bags again, and he leaves. Jyn can hear soft voices coming from the kitchen, but while she knows she should go say hello to Baze, Chirrut, and Shara, she goes back to Poe and Cassian, perching on the coffee table.

Kyber is letting Poe gently but clumsily pet her head, purring softly. Cassian's low voice is quietly encouraging Poe, who is more still than Jyn has ever seen him be. A moment later, Jyn grins as Kyber leaves Cassian's lap and goes to Poe's, curling into a ball on the boy's legs. Poe looks up at Jyn and then Cassian with an expression akin to outright rapture. He continues to gently pet the cat, and he breathes out, "Kyber Kitty likes Poe."

"She does, pequeño." Cassian looks up at Jyn, smiling before he looks back at Poe. "You're doing a great job with her. She likes people who are quiet and gentle with her."

Hearing a noise, Jyn turns towards the kitchen, and she sees Shara holding up her phone to take a picture of Cassian, Poe, and Kyber on the sofa. When Jyn catches her eye, Shara shakes her head in disbelief. Jyn stands and goes over to her friend's side. Shara smiles. "I don't think I've ever seen him be that still."

"Right?" Jyn grins.

Softly, Shara says, "Cassian, any time you want to babysit, you're hired. Just bring the cat."

Cassian looks up with a smile. "Would be happy to do it, Shara."

Jyn rolls her eyes good-naturedly. "You never should have said that. She'll hold you to it. And now we'll have to Poe-proof your apartment." She looks at Poe, who usually reacts when they say his name, and she goes all melty, like chocolate left out in the sun. Without any of them noticing, Poe had turned on his side and curled up, Kyber snuggled into his little torso, Poe's arm draped protectively across her. Both are sound asleep.

Shara makes a little happy sound and raises her phone again, taking another picture. She then beckons to both Jyn and Cassian, the latter who rises carefully so as not to disturb the cat or the child, and they follow her into the kitchen, Jyn reaching out and taking Cassian's hand as they walk. He entwines her fingers with his, and he leans down and presses a soft kiss to her temple.

They get into the kitchen, and Shara says, "Baze, Kes, go look at Poe and the cat."

The two men comply, and Jyn goes to Chirrut, who sits at the large breakfast bar. She hugs him tight, and he says, "The wild boy finds joy in flight but peace with a cat. Who would've predicted such a thing?"

Jyn leans back. "Not even you, Chirrut?"

Shara chuckles softly. "I certainly wouldn't have."

Kes and Baze return, both wearing surprised expressions. Kes looks at Jyn. "Seriously, Jyn, you ever get tired of that cat? We'll take her. That's a damned miracle in there." Jyn just laughs.

Cassian comes over to Jyn and Chirrut, and he blinks in surprise when Chirrut holds out a hand. Cassian takes it, and Chirrut shakes his hand. "Welcome, Dr. Andor." Baze joins them, and he shakes Cassian's hand too.

"It's Cassian or Cass, Chirrut, please." He retreats to Jyn's side. He's far more unnerved by Chirrut than Baze. The latter is huge, but the former seems to see right through him, blind or not.

Chirrut nods. "Of course, Cassian. Shara unwrapped the tamales. Do you make them yourself?"

"I do." Cassian nods.

Shara is the one to react to that. "Seriously? Oh, we have to have a tamale-making party the weekend before Christmas!"

"Shara, we won't all fit in your tiny place. You have a lot of baby stuff in a very small space." Jyn laughs.

Cassian shrugs. "People can come to mine. I have space."

Jyn hugs his waist. "Are you sure? It might draw a crowd."

"Of course. But you're right, we probably need to Poe-proof the apartment." Cassian nods, his arm going around her shoulders. "Shara, can you and Kes both help make them?"

"We can, if Jyn and Bodhi can manage Poe. It should be easy if the furry little ringer is there." She nods her head at Baze and Chirrut. "Those two can help with the food, too. We've made tamales here, but, due respect to Baze and Chirrut, yours look a lot better."

Cassian ducks his head, clearly a little embarrassed, and he mumbles, "Thanks, but maybe taste them before making that call."

"We'll get the chance," Baze says roughly, "We're warming them now. There's also pork loin, roasted fresh vegetables, and polenta florentine."

Shara pipes up, "And I brought a fresh apple tart and vanilla ice cream."

"What'd you bring, Erso?" Kes's voice is teasing, but Jyn is warmed by the fact that she can feel Cassian bristle a bit next to her.

Still wrapped around him, she squeezes his waist. "Cookies and wine, as is my custom, jackass." She says it with a good-natured grin, and he laughs in response. She looks up at Cassian. "Come on, let me show you Bodhi's and my old room. Chirrut and Baze have it preserved like a weird shrine to us as teenagers."

Cassian chuckles and nods. She releases his waist and takes his hand, pulling him out of the kitchen and across to the other side of the loft. As they walk, she softly says, "Kes is OK. He and I snipe at each other all the time. No need to defend me, though I do appreciate that you want to. It's nice to have a champion."

He leans down and kisses her gently. "Thank you for not getting irritated with me over my protective side. I know you can take care of yourself, querida."

"I know you know that. And given what happened to your family, you being protective isn't a big shock. You're patient with me about Bodhi. I can be patient with you about me." She shrugs lightly.

######

Cassian shakes his head, brushing some of her hair back out of her face and wondering again how they managed to find each other, two people whose rough edges just sort of fit together. "I love you."

"I love you back." She reaches up and cups his face in her palm, brushing her thumb along his cheekbone. "Now come on. Time for some wicked ridiculous nostalgia."

She opens the door, ushering him in, and he peers around the good-sized space. There is a bunkbed in the room, a double bed on the bottom configured into an L-shape with a twin bed above. Jyn flops onto the double, seeming to look up at the bottom of the upper bunk. "This was mine. Bodhi liked being up there." Her face turns a little sad. "But he slept down here a lot, especially the first year."

He sits next to her and then stretches out beside her. She shifts over, and he gets his head on the pillow, her settling with her head next to his. He looks up where she was looking, and above them, he spots posters for a lot of 80s computer and sci-fi-oriented movies, from "WarGames" to "Tron" to "Blade Runner."

He smirks. "So, computers and shit blowing up?"

She snorts. "Pretty much."

"Favorite 80s movie?" He looks over at her.

"The Terminator. You?" She returns his gaze.

"Raiders of the Lost Ark."

She hums in approval. "Good choice. Favorite Christmas movie?"

"Miracle on 34th Street. You?" He lifts an eyebrow.

She grins. "Die Hard." He must give her a funny look, so she adds. "Seriously, it's just not Christmas until Bruce Willis drops Alan Rickman off of a building."

He chuckles. "I think I love you even more now. Great movie, too." His eyes comb around the rest of the room. He sees trophies, books, and several model airplanes. "The planes?"

"Bodhi's. On our first spring break living here, Chirrut and Baze took us to DC. Bodhi went nuts over the Smithsonian Air and Space museum. He got his first model plane set there." She turns slightly, snuggling into Cassian's side. "After that, he just kept building them."

"And the trophies?"

"Mine. Mostly martial arts related, but also some for computer programming." She rests her head on his shoulder. "You know, if Luke is on shift Christmas Eve night, we'll probably end up sleeping here with Bodhi up there." She motions to the upper bunk.

He nods. "That's OK. Christmas is about family, at least when you have a family."

"You're already adopted. You know that, right? Baze hasn't messed with you, Chirrut didn't say anything weird or cryptic. They like you. And they know that I like you. You're golden." She hugs him to her.

He's silent for a moment, brushing his fingertips along her forearm. "It's a little overwhelming, you know. This is all a little overwhelming."

In a small voice she asks, "In a good way?"

"Definitely in a good way. I was just thinking earlier that if anyone had told me ten days ago what my life would look like today, I'd have laughed at them." He leans down, kissing the top of her head. "But you are the best surprise ever in my life, Jyn Erso."

"You're pretty high on my list, too, Cassian Andor." She perches her chin on his shoulder, looking up at him. "I think you'll understand, though, if I say that Baze and Chirrut probably are tied with you."

"Absolutely. I'm surprised that we're even tied." He shifts to slide down so he can look at her eye-to-eye. "I'm so glad they found you and Bodhi, Jyn, and not because that was one of the many steps that led to us meeting."

She nods. "Me too. Bodhi and I, we both know the magnitude of what they did for us. Honestly, if not for Chirrut and Baze, I might be in jail and Bodhi – "

"He told me." She looks at him, questioning, and he explains, "When he gave me the big brother talk last Sunday. His words, he said he might be in an institution or gone by his own hand if it wasn't for you."

Tears glisten in her eyes at that. She whispers, "He's never told me that he thought about that. About doing that. I mean, I guessed it. But he's never said it out loud."

"I think he told me so he could be sure that I understood. The courage it took for him to say that to me," he touches his forehead to hers, "It impressed me a lot."

Jyn snuggles close to him, and he wraps his arms around her as she nuzzles her face into her neck. They stay like that for a while, and he thinks, not for the first time, that as much as he enjoys more intimate activities with her, this is what he's been missing in his life, this closeness. He's downright content, even peaceful, something he hasn't really felt since his parents died. It's foreign to him, but he's already getting used to it. He wonders if Maz was right. Maybe he will be married to her inside of a year. He's only known her a week, but he knows that he'd be lost without her.

"Cass?" Her voice is soft against his neck.

"Yeah?" His voice is husky with emotion.

He can feel her heart rabbiting in her chest, and her hands grip tightly at his side. "I've never felt like this before. I've never felt this," she pauses, and he knows she's struggling for the right word.

"Safe?" He says it for her, and she relaxes against him.

"Yes. Safe. Even when my parents were alive, I never felt like this." Jyn takes a shuddering breath. "I'm scared, but I'm also not, because I think you're right here with me. This is real, isn't it? This is it. This is what people mean when they say someone else is their home."

Though it seems an impossibility, he pulls her even closer. "Yes. This is real, and I'm scared too, but if you're holding my hand, I can deal with being scared."

She peeks up at him. "What are you doing next Christmas? Not this one – the next one?"

He feels a surge of warmth go through him. "I expect I'll have plans with the most amazing woman I've ever met and her family. They have this insanely awesome loft in Williamsburg. Oh, and our cat. We'll bring our cat, and maybe we'll even drag my odd but well-meaning best friend in. I'd love to watch him go toe-to-toe with Chirrut."

"That sounds really nice. Can I come?" She giggles against him.

"It's a date, querida." He leans back, blinking back tears himself this time. "Thank you, Jyn." She looks up at him, clearly about to ask why, and he says, "I don't remember the last time when I didn't feel any loneliness at all. Even when my parents were alive, they worked a lot. There were a lot of quiet, solitary days, you know? This feeling, this feeling of family, of a group of friends who tease and support and care? It's everything. You're everything."

She swallows hard, and then she moves to take his hand, entwining their fingers and moving their joined hands up to rest between them as she blinks back tears of her own. "If I have anything to say about it, Cassian Andor, you'll never feel alone again."

She curls into him again, almost cradling his much-larger body to hers, and he's amazed that it doesn't feel awkward at all. He clings to her, and she gently runs her free hand through his hair. They stay like that, breathing together in an easy cadence, until Baze comes and quietly (at least quietly for Baze) summons them to the dining room for dinner.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: So, a wee bit of Conflict here, but NOT conflict between J/C, because I like them way too much to make them have issues between them. Also, the last few paragraphs of this are a strong T but not particularly graphic so I'm sticking with the T. And I once again apologize if my Spanish translation is off. Also, I'll probably proofread this again later and adjust any errors I missed (not content, just grammar). Now, onward!**

 **Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.**

As Cassian approaches his front door returning home after running over to his office to check on some things, he feels a rush of warmth at the voice he hears filtering through it. He hasn't come home to anyone since he lived with his aunt (he doesn't really count the years rooming with Kay). It's a nice feeling. And with it being Saturday, he is looking forward to spending the rest of the day just watching TV with Jyn. They'd considered doing the tamale-making party today, but they'd all settled on next Saturday, between Christmas and New Year's, instead.

Opening the door to his apartment, he hears Jyn say, "No, Chirrut. We'll be there Monday. I know it's Christmas, but can you give me a break here? I promised Christmas Eve, not a damned Christmas marathon."

Kyber runs to greet him, lacing around his ankles as he hangs up his parka and kicks off his hiking boots. He furrows his brow even as he scoops the tiny cat up and deposits her on his shoulder. He and Jyn have both gotten insanely adept at moving around and doing things with five pounds of cat on a shoulder. Listening to Jyn talk to Chirrut, he worries that he's disrupting their family traditions.

Despite her tone with Chirrut, though, she smiles up at him, and he puts one hand on Kyber and leans down to drop a kiss on top of Jyn's head. She tilts her head up to him, and he smiles, gently kissing her lips.

He leans back up when Kyber squeaks in protest, and he can't help but feel another rush of warmth as he looks around. In addition to the cat, there are signs of Jyn all over his apartment – the Christmas tree is lit, gifts underneath it. The gifts are resting on the soft velvet dark red and green tree skirt she brought over last week, and there are twinkling lights strung up in his windows.

Her coat hangs next to his by the door, and her tiny – at least comparatively – boots sit next to his. He's given her a few drawers in his dresser and space in his closet, and he knows that her small bag of toiletries and makeup is in the cabinet in his bathroom. Her coffee creamer and sweeteners are in his kitchen along side a bag of Oreos that she claims she keeps for "emergencies."

He found out what that meant when she had her period last week, and it amuses him to no end how she was so matter of fact about it. She'd felt horrible on Sunday. She'd stolen a loose sweatshirt from him to wear with her leggings and a pair of his socks, curling up on his sofa with the cat and the Oreo bag. She'd gratefully taken the Ibuprofen he silently offered, let him cover her with the afghan, and then basically used him as a body pillow while they watched football all day.

They'd gone back and forth between their places at first, but she confessed on Sunday that she thought it'd get old quickly. He'd panicked briefly until she went on to shyly ask if they could start just staying here because he has the bigger space. That request led to a relatively serious make out session on his sofa and the subsequent removal of Oreo detritus from the cushions followed by him cleaning out drawers for her. They've known each other for exactly two weeks, and it's insane to him that it feels like forever, in the best possible way. He's still wondering when he can just ask her to move in for real.

She reaches up and tugs at his hand, patting the space next to her on the sofa. He'd been thinking about starting dinner, but he'd honestly rather sit next to her and let her snuggle into him as she inevitably does. He sits down, careful not to jostle the cat, and as expected, Jyn immediately curls into him. He wraps an arm around her, and Kyber jumps from his shoulder to the back of the sofa, curling up into an impossibly tiny ball, an odd mimic of her owner.

He puts his feet up on the coffee table, crossing them at the ankle. "What was that with Chirrut?"

Jyn sighs. "He was being his usual pushy self."

"What about? Are you skipping a family thing? Because, Jyn, you know I don't want you to – "

She leans up and cuts him off with a quick kiss. "No. I'm not. He decided we should come early. I told him that I'm baking tomorrow and that we're watching football and just relaxing, but he kept pushing. It was actually a little excessive, even for him."

She frowns, looking a little pensive. He brushes her hair back and asks, "Do you think something is going on?"

"I don't know. Maybe. But even when he's being weirdly cryptic, I can usually figure out his motive. This time, I'm not sure." She looks up at him. "He even sounded a little upset, but not 'my kid won't come over for Christmas Eve-Eve' upset – worried about something upset."

"Maybe call him back? We can go there tomorrow night if he needs us to. I can grab the subway back into Manhattan for work Monday morning for the half day the office is open." He doesn't love the idea, but he's already coming to care for her dads just like he is coming to care for the rest of her crazy friends and family.

Jyn shakes her head, grinning. She then leans in and kisses him, one of her hands sliding into his hair. Before he knows what's happening, she shifts until she's straddling his lap, her arms around his neck and the kiss turning deep and heated. He knows she's trying to distract him, and he's almost embarrassed by how easily she accomplishes that.

He scoots forward on the sofa, and she clearly knows what he's doing, because as he rises to his feet, she moves to wrap her legs around his waist. He grins against her lips. This isn't the first time he has risen with her wrapped around him. They're getting pretty good at this.

He only bumps them into a kitchen counter once as they make their way to the bedroom. Even with that, they're both laughing a little by the time he deposits her on the bed. At least the cat has learned not to follow them when they get physical. It only takes a moment for the laughter to fade as they get lost in each other, the thought occurring to him that this is a really nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

######

A while later, Jyn is wrapped around Cassian in his bed, him on his back, her draped across him, her head tucked under his chin. She thinks she managed to effectively distract him, but he proves her wrong. "So, nice temporary distraction, querida, but what do you think is going on with Chirrut? I really don't mind going there tomorrow, maybe spend the day here, but go over there for dinner. Getting into the city on Monday should be a breeze – a lot of people won't be working."

Jyn sighs, nuzzling his chest. "I really don't know what's up. He was being weird and cryptic, which isn't all that off for Chirrut, but I could tell that something was bothering him."

"So, we should go then, yes?" He squeezes her to him. "If something is wrong, we should go hear him out. Maybe he doesn't want to worry Bodhi and Luke with it."

Jyn grumbles and buries her face in his neck. "Damn it. You're way too practical and good at this guilt thing, Andor."

He chuckles. "I'm not trying to guilt you, querida."

"I know. And yet you are doing it without even trying, which is equal parts annoying and endearing." She mumbles the words into his neck.

He moves, sliding down in the bed and looking her in the eye. She almost groans, because she simply cannot resist his near-perfect puppy-dog eyes. He lifts an eyebrow at her. "Why is unintentional guilt-tripping endearing?"

She leans in and kisses him. "Because it's about being worried about one of my dads. They're both a little overbearing. You're the first guy I've ever dated who not only wasn't just completely put off by them, but who seems genuinely invested in them being happy, too. Well, Chirrut, at least – Baze kind of pissed you off at first."

He snorts, and she pulls back, grinning. He says, "I admit it, Jyn, Baze's bullshit that first night at the Falcon didn't impress me much, but I can see now that it came from a good place."

"You really would've taken a swing at him, wouldn't you?" She peers up at him.

He meets her eyes, tense, all the laughter gone, and his own eyes darken like they had that night in the Falcon. "Yes. I would have."

She snuggles back into him. "Well, if you ever need to take him down, target his left knee. Weak spot, that." He laughs at that, and the tension fades. She grins before growing serious and going on, "Are you sure you don't mind having to take the train back into the city on Monday? Or you can take my car and park it here or at my place."

"I'm sure. And we can sort out logistics later. When we get up to go make dinner, you can call Chirrut back and tell him we'll be there tomorrow night." He drops a kiss to the top of her head.

"Can we be lazy the rest of the day? I really just want to watch a movie or something." She grins. "Like my favorite Christmas movie! I brought the DVD over."

He chuckles under her. "I was going to throw the leftover chili on the stove," he refers to the chili he made earlier in the week, "We can do that and yes, watch Die Hard. Deal?"

"Deal. I can even do a new quick batch of cornbread and throw that in the oven." She nuzzles his neck with her nose. "But we should probably shower first. At the risk of sounding gross, I'm a little sticky, and you probably are too. And we need to wash these sheets." It occurs to her that they should probably be using more than one method of birth control, but she's on the pill. Cassian is actually the only man she's ever been OK with not using a condom. They're both clean, and she's good about taking her pill.

He snorts and moves to get out of the bed, grabbing his boxer briefs from the floor and tossing her his t-shirt. She rolls her eyes and asks, "And I need that why?" To her delight, his own eyes widen when she throws back the covers and walks naked to the bathroom, pausing to look over her shoulder at him and giving him a saucy smile. "You coming, Dr. Andor?"

He blinks a few times, but then he drops the underwear, grins, and follows her. His much-longer legs help him catch up with her, and he wraps his arms around her waist, pressing his chest to her back. He presses a kiss underneath her ear, and she shivers as he murmurs, "Don't have to ask me twice, querida." She laughs and turns in his arms, dragging him into the bathroom and kicking the door closed behind them.

Twenty-four hours later, they pull into the garage at Chirrut and Baze's building in Brooklyn. The car is loaded up with their bags for the two nights they'll be here, the cat in her carrier, food for her, presents, and the huge amount of stuff that Jyn spent the morning baking.

That had been more fun than in recent years, as she'd tried to teach Cassian how to bake, and he's almost as hopeless at it as Jyn is at cooking, though with fewer fires. They finally settled on the notion that baking is more scientific and cooking more artistic, and that their personalities are clearly aligned with their kitchen skills. Jyn was sort of ridiculously and probably irrationally charmed by the fact that he was entirely fine with being classified as the artistic one.

Jyn looks over at Cassian after parking the car. "You ready for this? Lord knows what Chirrut is so worried about."

Before Cassian can respond, they both jump at the knock of knuckles on her window. Looking up, Jyn sees Baze standing there. Jyn huffs out a breath and looks back at Cassian, who rolls his eyes and laughs before getting out of the car. Jyn gets out, hugging Baze and pointing to the back of the car. "Bags and gifts."

He just grunts and heads to the back, grabbing the large bag of presents and Jyn's bag. Cassian gets Kyber in her carrier and a bag of supplies for her as well as his own backpack of clothes, while Jyn grabs the two bags of cookies and baked goods from the back seat. Baze growls, "You two moving in?"

Jyn elbows Baze none-to-gently in the side as a response, making him grunt again, but then he laughs out loud. He beckons to the elevator with his head. "Come on, you two."

Cassian comes around the car, grinning as Jyn locks up the car. They follow behind Baze, and Jyn calls, "How did you know we were here?"

Baze just shrugs as they get in the elevator, and says, "Chirrut."

Cassian lifts an eyebrow at her, and Jyn shrugs in a way similar to Baze. It's not something she can explain, so she's glad that Cassian doesn't ask.

######

Once they're settled in Jyn and Bodhi's old room and have Kyber's litter box and food and water set up, they go to the kitchen where Baze is making dinner. Chirrut is there, too, sipping at a glass of red wine, which he also offers to Jyn and Cassian. Kyber wanders up and meows at Chirrut, who scoops her up to perch on his shoulder. Cassian watches Chirrut carefully, looking for signs of the worry and concern that Jyn had noted hearing from him, and he notices that the man is holding himself a little stiffly, a significant difference from his usual demeanor.

Cassian offers to help Baze with the food, and he's given a cutting board and a pile of things for a salad. He sets up on the center island, and Jyn settles on a stool next to Chirrut. Cassian exchanges a glance with Jyn and tips his head towards Chirrut. Jyn nods and gives him a weak smile across the island. He's glad he's here – he can tell that Jyn is concerned about Chirrut.

He goes to work on the vegetables he was given to chop, but he listens carefully when Jyn says, "OK, Chirrut, what is going on? The 23rd was never a thing for us, so I know there's something wrong or at least that you need to discuss without Bodhi here."

Baze snorts behind Cassian, and Chirrut huffs out a quiet laugh. "I was trying not to worry you before we could speak in person."

"Well, that was an epic fail," Jyn mutters, taking a sip of her wine. After she puts her glass back down, she quietly adds, "And you have Cassian to thank for us coming tonight. He's the one who convinced me that we should come early."

"Thank you, son," Chirrut's voice is as soft as Jyn's. Cassian blinks and goes a little warm at the small endearment. Even if worried, Cassian is once again struck with a feeling of gratitude at not being alone anymore.

He swallows hard. "De nada, Chirrut. I didn't have to push too hard. She was very worried."

Jyn shoots him a look that's half-grateful and half-exasperated, but she says, "Yes, I was, and I still am, so I'll ask again – what is going on?"

Chirrut sighs, and then, in what Cassian already knows is out of character, he hesitates. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Baze puts down the spoon he's holding and turns the heat down on the stew on the stove. Baze then growls, "Little One, do you remember the name Orson Krennic?"

Chirrut drops his head, and Cassian watches, confused, as Jyn freezes and seems to pull in on herself, all of the color draining from her face. He immediately drops the knife and comes around the island to sit next to her on a barstool. "Querida? Jyn? Are you OK?" Jyn blinks and turns towards him, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his neck. When she doesn't say anything, just grips him tight, he looks up at Baze. "Who is Orson Krennic?"

Baze looks at Chirrut, but Chirrut just sighs. Baze shakes his head and answers, "He owned the weapons research firm where Jyn's father worked."

That makes Jyn look up. "Worked? More like where he was tricked into to working, Baze."

Cassian hugs her to him. "Jyn's parents died nearly twenty years ago. Why are you raising this man's name now?"

Baze responds again, and it occurs to Cassian that he's heard more words from Baze tonight than in the previous two weeks. "He called the office last week. He called and tried to ask a lot of questions and to ask to talk to Jyn."

"What?" Jyn frowns. "Why?"

"He apparently saw the 'Wired' article on cybersecurity firms last month. You were briefly mentioned in it, remember?" Baze comes around and cups her cheek in his palm. "He's looking for you, Little One. He was demanding to see you."

"Hell, no!" Jyn's eyes widen in near-panic. "You know he probably had my parents killed, Baze."

Cassian takes a sharp breath at that. "Jyn, what do you mean?"

She looks at him, eyes bright with anger. "Remember that first night? I told you that I didn't believe that they had an accident? That I think it was staged?" He nods, and she goes on, "Well, I'm fairly certain that Orson Krennic is the man who staged it. He owned the firm Dad worked for, and Dad was trying to leave. Apparently, Krennic didn't want his biggest talent – and all the designs in his head – to walk away."

Ignoring Baze and Chirrut for the moment, Cassian holds Jyn's gaze as he takes one of her hands tight in his. "How do you know that, Jyn? You were just eight when they died, yes?"

She nods, looking down at their joined hands. "I was obsessed with it. It didn't make sense once I actually gave it some thought. I mean, a single car accident, neither had been drinking, a clear, dry night? Something was off. I did a lot of digging – "

Baze clears his throat, and Chirrut chuckles. After shooting them both a dirty look, Jyn amends, "Fine. Hacking. I did a lot of hacking, and I came across enough information to make me sure that Krennic didn't want Dad to go because Dad knew too much about the bribes that Krennic was paying to people to get contracts. So, he killed them both. I was home with a nanny. He just killed them, destroyed my family in a moment." She takes a deep breath and looks at Baze. "Baze, what does he want with me? Did he say?"

Baze shakes his head, and Chirrut finally speaks again, "No, he didn't say. He just demanded to know if you were there and what work we do." Chirrut sighs. "We have it on tape. It wasn't pleasant, as phone calls go."

"Do you think he might be able to figure out where she lives?" Cassian's mind is racing. He knows she can take care of herself, but he'll be damned if he lets anyone hurt Jyn. "Do you think he wants to harm her?"

Jyn squeezes his hand, but Baze responds, "We don't know. Maybe. On both. It's possible that he knows she hacked his systems."

Cassian feels ill, but he pushes that down. He looks back at Jyn. "Move in with me. For real."

Jyn blinks a few times, and then she stands, pulling Cassian with her. She leads him to the living room, and as they walk, his mind races. He hopes he didn't overstep, but he wants her with him anyway, this issue notwithstanding. He's so anxious about all of this that he feels like he's about to vibrate out of his own skin. It reminds him of his first year here in New York, the first year after his parents were murdered.

She turns to look at him. "Cassian, you don't have to ask me to move in because of this. I practically live with you already."

He shakes his head. "It's not the same, Jyn. Your name won't be on the apartment until we get married – and yes, I said that out loud, and no, I'm not proposing yet, but it will happen – so you'll be safe, I want you with me, and it makes sense. Dios mío, I've been thinking about it since, well, basically since the first time you set foot in my apartment. Please, Jyn. I want you there all the time; this just prompted me to admit it."

She frowns. "I want these kinds of conversations to be happy, damn it."

He feels his tension ratchet down a notch. "I do too. The next one will be, I'm sure. But this one, Jyn, please, it is what it is. Unless you just don't want to move in with me. If that's the case, it's OK."

######

Jyn's head is spinning, but the way Cassian's voice drops and the way his eyes stray from hers brings her up short. "Yes."

His eyes pop back up. "Yes?"

"Yes, Cass. I'll move in with you. But not because of Krennic. Because I want to. Because I've only been waking up with you next to me for two weeks, but I can no longer imagine waking up without you. Because I love you so much that it scares the ever-loving shit out of me."

She watches as the last of the tension visibly drains from him. He leans into her, and she leans up to meet him, capturing his mouth with a searing kiss. At least she has her high-heeled boots on, so she doesn't have to lean too far up. Her hands slide into his hair as she deepens the kiss, and he wraps his arms around her, pulling her tight to him. She gasps at the furiousness of the embrace, and her tongue then tangles with his, him humming a little in approval.

A moment later, he pulls back, resting his forehead against hers. "I love you, too, querida."

A noise behind them makes them pull apart quickly, and they turn to see Chirrut standing there. He doesn't wait for them to say anything before saying, "I'm sorry, children. I just didn't want to talk about this with our young Bodhi here. Even you, son, probably now know that he would not manage it well. I am concerned that this man is angry and hateful and paranoid. I hope, my dear girl, that you're going to take the good doctor here up on his offer?"

Jyn takes Cassian's hand, entwining their fingers. "Yes. I am. But I won't hide from this bastard, Chirrut."

"Good, and I know you won't, Jyn." Chirrut nods. "Now come. Dinner is nearly ready, and we have things to discuss while we eat."

A few hours later, Jyn comes into her old bedroom to find Cassian already in her old bed, shirtless and in just a pair of sleep pants that he brought with him. Kyber isn't there – the furry little traitor followed Chirrut and Baze to bed. Cassian's on his back, looking up at the posters on the underside of the bunk above his head, Bodhi's bed. He looks over at her, and he smiles, she guesses because he can see that she's wearing one of his old Cornell t-shirts and little else. His eyes are soft, and he reaches out to her.

She flips off the lights and goes to him, crawling up next to him in the bed, snuggling into his side. After a quiet moment, she says, "So, are you really sure about me moving in? I could be putting you at risk, Cass."

"I'm sure." He drops a kiss to the top of her head, nestled under his chin. "Not sure how I feel about protection following me around, but maybe Chirrut and Baze are right."

She sighs as Cassian refers to part of what they talked about at dinner. Baze is going to go home with them on Christmas afternoon and wire a new security system at Cassian's apartment. He also is going to have a team assigned to look after them, at least until they know what Krennic is playing at. Jyn chafes at the notion, but at least she got Baze to agree that the protection can stop once they both get home. The main thing will be having someone with them when they're commuting, but Baze wants someone to hang around Cassian's office, as his office isn't in a secure building the way MI Security's is.

"I can tolerate it for the time being, my Jyn. It's worth it to me if it keeps you safe." He slides down in the bed as he often does, so he can look into her eyes. It's a habit of his that she loves – the idea that he likes them to be able to truly see each other when they talk. "Maz is going to be irritated if there's an armed man skulking around the office, though, and I'm going to have to figure out what to tell the staff and Scott and Wedge."

She laughs softly. "Sorry about Maz. Can I be there to see her reaction?" He snorts, and then she turns serious. "We have to tell everyone, though. Bodhi and Luke, of course, but also Leia and Han, and Kes and Shara in particular. I'll kill Krennic myself if anything happens to Poe or Leia and the baby."

He nods. "I know. I've only known them all a short while, and I'd do the same, especially about Poe. He's just so innocent, you know? He reminded me of Gabriela, especially when I was speaking Spanish to him."

Jyn can see his eyes sheen over at the thought of his lost baby sister, and she moves in close, hugging him to her. She leans her forehead against his again. Trying to lighten the moment a bit, something comes to her. "So, you want to marry me one day?"

He goes wide-eyed and gives her a rueful smile. "I still can't believe I said that out loud."

"Did you mean it?" Her words are soft, and she holds her breath as she waits for his response.

His gaze doesn't falter at all, though. "Every word, querida. You're it for me. This is it. If I thought we were both ready, I'd marry you tomorrow."

"I can tell you now, Cassian Andor, that I'm going to be ready very soon." She bumps his nose with hers.

He gives her a crooked smile. "Me too. And for what it's worth, Maz thinks we'll be married inside of a year."

Jyn laughs at that, moving forward suddenly, tipping him back to his back and climbing up over him, caging his body with hers. "How often is Maz wrong?"

Her hair curtains their faces as she trails kisses down his neck to his shoulder. He grunts a little when she sucks gently at his pulse point, but then he says softly, "I've never known Maz to be wrong. Not once."

"Oh, I'm very glad to hear that," she mumbles against his skin.

One of her hands slides down his body towards the waistband of his pants, and he tenses a little, reaching down and grabbing her hand with his. "Jyn, you want to do this here?" She grinds against him, and he groans softly. "Jyn, come on."

She laughs and does it again, kissing him to keep him quiet this time. She pulls back slightly, and against his lips, says, "Hell yes, I do. And from what I can tell," she grinds into him again, "You want to do this here too."

"Not fair, querida. I think you've figured out by now that you don't have to do much to get me to," he pauses, "React that way." She laughs softly, kissing him again. When she pulls back, he adds, "But your dads are what, a hundred feet away? And I'm pretty sure that Chirrut's hearing is pretty damned good."

She gives him a challenging grin. "So, we have to be really quiet." She lifts an eyebrow at him. "Bet I can be quieter than you."

He studies her face for a moment. Then, surprising her, he flips them, reversing their positions. He kisses her hard and deep, her hands coming up to his shoulders as their tongues tangle, the battle already beginning. Without much preamble, he breaks the kiss and slides down in the bed, pushing her t-shirt up as he goes. In seconds, he has both the t-shirt and her panties on the floor. "Ten cuidado con lo que deseas."

She looks a little confused, and he grins, moving his hand down between her legs. She gasps, and he moves to position himself even with his hand, his head between her legs. Her legs come up and fall apart slightly, and she curses her body for the reaction and herself for challenging him, because as he uses his free hand to take one of her legs and put it over his shoulder, he explains, glint in his eye, "I said be careful what you wish for."

It only takes a moment for her to realize that she might've underestimated how competitive he is, and she closes her eyes as her head drops back against her pillow. She has to cover her mouth with her arm to muffle the sounds he draws from her, and her free hand clutches at the sheets. It occurs to her that he's going to be insufferable in the morning; however, as her body arches up instinctively and she has to muffle another sound, it also occurs to her that she's entirely OK with that.

 **Author's Note 2: Yeah, Krennic. Because their world can't be entirely perfect.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: Fluff. And some small angst. And friend stuff. And Kay + Cats + Kids = good fun.**

 **Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.**

Jyn watches Cassian and Bodhi play with Poe, Yoda, and Kyber on the floor of their apartment, a goofy smile on her face. They spent the better part of the day, the Saturday after Christmas, making tamales while Poe napped, and now Poe is wide awake and grinning. The little boy is dragging a cat toy, a feather strung from a stick, around in front of Kyber and Yoda, squealing with laughter every time one of the cats scrambles after the toy and pounces on it.

Han and Leia left a little while ago, accompanied by Baze and Chirrut, and Luke had to go take a shift at the hospital. The only ones left here are Bodhi, Kes, Shara, and Poe. Bodhi is staying over in the guest room, and Kes and Shara are cleaning the kitchen, claiming that Cassian did most of the work making the tamales. They plan to stay a while, though, as Poe is wide awake and completely in love with little Kyber and Yoda.

The week has been an interesting one. Telling Bodhi about Krennic had gone more smoothly than Jyn had anticipated, but he had panicked a little with Jyn, Luke, and Chirrut helping him calm back down. He and Luke both have protection now from home to work and back. Christmas had been subdued, but they all scored a ton of ugly sweaters, hideous scarves, and even worse socks. That part had been pretty great, if only to witness how impressed Cassian was by their collective ability to find vast quantities of cheesy, ugly shit. They even have matching llama sweaters from Bodhi and Luke. They're awful and awesome at the same time.

As for the others, Han hit the roof when they talked to him, but Leia calmed him down and reminded him that she already has protection. Han now has an old friend and former football player named Chewie on as a new bouncer at the Falcon. They also got Kes to let Baze wire his and Shara's apartment, and they have protection that will stick with whoever has Poe. Jyn thinks it may be a little overboard, but she also would rather have them all safe.

Jyn even went to lunch with Cassian and Maz the day after Christmas, Jyn demanding that Cassian keep up that particular tradition of his own. Over lunch, they told her what was going on. She'd looked cross for a moment, but then she'd stood up and hugged Jyn, apologizing for the fact that there are way too many, her words, "rat bastard assholes in the world." They'd told Scott and Wedge the truth, but for Cassian's Vet Tech staff, they just said she had a stalker based on the mention in the Wired article, and they were just playing it safe for a while.

Thus far, Krennic has just kept calling the office. Jyn is getting pissed off, wondering what the hell the son of a bitch is playing at. As Jyn's mind wanders, she looks away from Bodhi, Cassian, Poe, and the cats to stare out the window. A moment later, Jyn jumps when Shara waves a beer in front of her face. "Drink this, sweetie."

Jyn sighs and nods, accepting the beer and taking a big swallow from it. "Sorry, I know I've been distracted today."

Shara shakes her head. "You don't owe us an apology, Jynnie. You didn't ask for this, and you've done more than most would have to make sure that all of us, my baby in particular, are safe." Shara wraps an arm around Jyn's waist, allowing Jyn to rest her head on the slightly-taller woman's shoulder.

Jyn frowns. "But it's my fault. I should never have tried to investigate. I – "

"Bullshit." Kes's quiet voice from her other side makes her jump slightly. She looks up at him, and he shakes his head as Shara had. "Jyn, you didn't bring this on any of us. The man is a homicidal piece of crap. It's not wrong to want to understand what happened to your family. And we're your family, too, and we do not hold this against you – like Shara said, Poe's safety is a priority to you, and I'm grateful for that. You didn't ask for this."

He moves next to her, wrapping an arm around he shoulders. Kes can be a jackass sometimes, but Jyn loves him like another big brother. She sniffles a little, and she softly says, "Thanks, guys. I love you both, you know?"

Shara squeezes her waist. "We know, sweetie, and we love you, too. And Cassian we also love, if only for his ability to wrangle our kid, his tamale-making skills, and his freaking incredible apartment."

Jyn sniffs again. "I know, right? Can you believe I live here now?"

Shara laughs. "You lucky thing. Of course, I knew you were both goners that first night. I also knew he was a good fit for you and for us when he did his own self-roasting introduction." Jyn just grins and nods at that. Shara stays with her, but Kes gives her one more squeeze and then joins the boys on the floor. Jyn's eyes sweep around the room. She's struck by the notion that this is home now, but that it's because he's here – he's definitely her home.

She'd packed up her stuff on the 27th, and a lot of her things are in storage for now. But she'd moved in all her clothes, shoes and other things on Friday, and she picked out some select things, including some warm throws, her baking sheets and mixer, and her favorite coffee mug and towels, to bring. Her favorite afghan is on the back of the sofa along with the throw Cassian added for her, and her DVD collection is next to his TV, nestled in the cabinet she moved in for it.

She also put some photos around the apartment, including a framed one of them from the game, and she has a few of her art posters hung, one near the front door, one in their bedroom, and two in the guest room. Her bright red KitchenAid mixer sits on a corner of a counter in the kitchen, and her baking stuff is tucked into a cabinet where she found some room. When Cassian got home yesterday, she'd been worried that it would be too much, but his eyes had gone so warm and happy that it had nearly taken her breath away.

He'd admitted to her last night that he's happier right now than he can ever remember being. She'd realized that she feels the same way, and she told him so. Then they took advantage of his rather large bathtub. That had been a highly successful, if splashy, venture.

She still has a lease on her apartment, but Leia's lawyer is helping her negotiate the ability to sublease and potentially let the new tenant assume the lease, which isn't up until May. Until she doesn't have to pay rent herself, Cassian refuses to let her contribute to the mortgage or apartment expenses, something that was a bit of a contentious compromise. She didn't move in with him to somehow score a financial windfall. He insists that he knows that, but she needs him to understand that she wants to contribute, to be on at least some level of equal footing.

Honestly, that conversation had been their first real disagreement, but it also led to a conversation they'd needed to have. He wants to take care of her, and she chafes against that more than she thought she might. His initial position was that, once her lease was terminated or sublet, she could just start banking her usual rent payment, putting it in savings. She'd flatly refused, and it had also hurt her feelings, somewhat irrationally, she can now allow.

They'd been in the bedroom at the time, and she'd stormed out. Then, she'd had to stop at the front door, knowing he'd panic if she went out without protection, and they were gone for the night. She'd grabbed her coat, hat, gloves, and boots instead, going out on his small balcony and slamming the door behind her. He'd found her out there half an hour later, panicked despite her sitting out there to try to avoid that very thing.

She'd been curled in on herself against the cold. He'd gotten her hot cocoa and an afghan, parking himself next to her outside. She'd eventually started talking, explaining how helpless she'd felt with Saw and then again when she'd figured out what had likely really happened to her parents. She'd told him that she is terrified of feeling that helpless again and that him not letting her pull her weight sent her back to that place. She'd also acknowledged that she may have just as many ghosts as Bodhi, hers just manifest differently.

He'd then told her that the urge to protect her makes him a little crazy. Losing people the way he had, surviving when they didn't, knowing that he was supposed to have been with his parents when they were kidnapped, gave him a nearly-overwhelming case of survivor guilt. He's even oddly protective of Kay. She'd only thought that she'd loved him before – that night, three nights ago, had been a whole new level of intimacy between them – not physical intimacy – emotional instead.

A wave of affection rolls through her as she watches him play with Poe and the cats – Bodhi and Kes moved to the sofa, a basketball game on the TV, a few moments ago. But Cassian's focus is Poe. From Jyn's side, she hears Shara sigh. "You know, much to our parents' chagrin, we didn't baptize Poe. We still aren't going to, but I'd love for him to have Godparents anyway. I think we may have found them in you and Cassian."

Jyn looks up at Shara in surprise. "Really?"

Shara beckons towards the kitchen with her head, and Jyn follows her to the table, where they sit down. Shara sighs. "Kes and I both think that our parents are too old to take Poe if something happens to us. This thing with getting protection because of that asshole bothering you made us realize that we needed to make some changes to our wills – we had them put together when Poe was born, but we talked about it yesterday – when you feel ready, we'd like you and Cassian to be his guardians if something happens to us."

"We're not even married, Shara. We've literally been together three weeks. I love that this is what you want, but are you sure?" Jyn furrows her brow, stunned by this.

"Yes. We were already both thinking about you anyway, partnered or not. But Kes and I have known you three years, and that's long enough for us to realize that you are all in with Cassian. We barely know him, but we can also see that he's all in with you." Shara blushes lightly. "And I'll own it – we did some research."

"Research?" Jyn lifts an eyebrow.

Shara nods, looking a little sheepish. "Sorry. In our defense, it was because of this conversation. You know that Kes is almost as good as you at finding things and information mining."

"True. It's why I keep trying to get him to come work for us." Jyn nods. "What did you find?"

"Stories about his parents' and even about a little sister." Shara's eyes sheen over. "How did he go through that and turn out so – "

"Nice? Normal? Not fucked up?" Jyn asks softly.

"Yeah. All of those things." Shara nods.

"I won't break any confidences here, Shara, but he has his own shit. We're managing it." Jyn takes another drink of her beer. "He's overprotective. And you know I don't do well with that. We're figuring out how to blend my fierce independence with his need to keep me safe."

They both go quiet then. After a few long moments, Shara says, "You didn't say whether you're willing to do it or not."

"Shara, I need to talk to Cass first. We're finding our way, and it means everything to me that you want us for this and that you have so much faith in our relationship already." Jyn starts to peel at the label on the bottle in her hand, and she softly adds, "We already talked about marriage. He does want to marry me."

"He said that? Oh my god, Jynnie!" Shara keeps her voice quiet, but Jyn can tell that she's nearly bouncing in her seat.

"Yes, but I haven't even told Bodhi that, so please keep it down, my friend." Jyn lifts an eyebrow at her, and Shara nods.

"How do you feel about it?" Shara bumps Jyn's leg with her own.

Jyn is quiet for a moment, but then she answers with what she honestly knows is the truth. "I'd marry him tomorrow if he asked. Which is batshit crazy. I know that."

"It's not. It's just right, Jyn. And that right there is why we want you as Poe's guardians. I have no doubt about you two. What does Chirrut say?" Shara grins.

Jyn smiles and rolls her eyes. "He said that when it comes time for the wedding, he and Baze are either both walking me down the aisle or they're going to flip a coin to see who gets the honor."

Laughing out loud, Shara hugs her. "I adore your dads, by the way. If you two aren't ready, he and Baze are the back-up until you are."

That brings tears to Jyn's eyes. "Shara, I'm not sure if I can explain what that means to me. Chirrut and Baze, they're – " Jyn has to swallow hard.

"They're the best people I know. Plain and simple," Shara offers quietly.

"They're more than that to me and Bodhi. To us, they're everything. They saved us, and I'll never stop owing them." Jyn sniffles a little. "But they claim we don't owe them a thing. That love is free."

"Damned right." Shara nods. "Now go blow your nose, and then let's go play with your dreamy boyfriend, my kid, and the cats."

######

Cassian looks up as Shara and Jyn drop to the floor next to him, Poe, and the two cats. Jyn sits close to him, and he can see that her eyes look a little red. Poe immediately starts telling Shara about the cats, and so Cassian gathers Jyn close to his side. She snuggles into him right away, and he murmurs, "Querida, are you all right?"

Jyn nods against him. "Yes. I'm really fine. I promise."

He frowns briefly, but then he makes himself not push it. He drops a kiss on top of her head and pulls her closer. Feeling eyes on him, he looks up to see Shara watching them, a sweet smile on her face as her eyes go between her son and him and Jyn. He nods slightly and perches his chin on top of Jyn's head.

Jyn doesn't move away, so he settles back against the sofa, content to hold her and watch Poe and Shara play with Kyber. Yoda moved on a moment ago, curling up on Kes's lap, much to everyone's amusement. He declares himself more of a dog person, but every time Cassian glances at him, he's absently scratching the kitten between the ears.

A knock at the door makes them all look up. Something occurs to Cassian. "Hell. That's probably Kay."

Jyn looks up at him, grinning. The others haven't met Kay yet. "Oh, this will be fun. Between cats and a child, he may literally run away."

Cassian releases her and rises, replying, "Kay doesn't run. Kay lumbers."

Shara exclaims, "Wait, is this the human computer?"

"One and the same," Jyn answers, and Cassian rolls his eyes at her grin.

He goes to the door and opens it. "Cassian, why is there a man in the hallway who demanded my identification?"

Kay walks into the apartment, dressed in mostly black again, but this time it's black trousers, a white turtleneck, and a black sweater. He takes off his black wool coat and carefully hangs it on the hook. Cassian is amused to see Bodhi, Shara, and Kes staring. The cats hide, and Poe blinks slowly. Jyn just looks amused.

Surprising him, little Poe pushes up to his feet and comes over to Cassian, latching on to Cassian's leg as he stares up at Kay's huge form. At that moment, Kay turns, and he is clearly startled by the number of people in the apartment. Poe, who, for some reason seems unafraid, says, "You very tall." The child still hangs on to Cassian's leg, his head canted completely back to look up at Kay.

Kay looks from Cassian to Poe and back again. "Cassian, why is there a," he pauses, "Small, juvenile human attached to your leg?"

Cassian snorts and leans down to pick up Poe. The child lets him, and Cassian perches Poe on his hip. Clinging to Cassian's sweatshirt, Poe continues to look up at Kay. "You Tío Cass's friend?"

The title, tío, makes Cassian pause for a moment, but he recovers and says, "Yes, Poe, this is Kay Tuesso." He looks at Kay. "Kay, this is Poe." He gestures to the rest of the people in the room, pointing at each of them in turn. "Bodhi, Jyn's brother; Kes Dameron, Poe's dad; and Shara Bey, Poe's mom. You know Jyn." They all say hello, Kay blinking silently as he stares.

"This is a lot of people, Cassian." Kay looks slightly taken aback.

Jyn chuckles and comes to stand next to Cassian and Poe. "Well, Outlier - " Cassian rolls his eyes at Jyn's nickname for Kay, over the fact that he was the only one really outside of the normal range of height of the three of them – Kay hates it. She goes on, "I come with a lot of people."

Poe looks at Jyn. "He tall."

Jyn nods. "He definitely is, munchkin. Outlier is very tall."

"Poe likes new tall friend. Tío Outwier." Poe grins, and Cassian laughs out loud at the expression on Kay's face.

Beckoning with his head, Cassian says, "Come on, Tío Outwier, I have some tamales for you in the kitchen. They're wrapped up and ready to go."

Cassian walks to the kitchen, Poe still on his hip. He needs both hands to pull the food out for Kay. He's about to call Kes, Jyn, or Shara to come take Poe when Poe lunges towards Kay. To Kay's credit, his instincts kick in, and he catches Poe. He then holds the child with both hands, held away from him. "What do I do with this, Cassian?"

All the adults in the other room laugh out loud, and Jyn calls, "That is a child, Kay. Just hold him the way Cassian was."

Clumsily, Kay tries to hold Poe. Poe grips Kay's sweater, leaning his head against Kay's shoulder. "So high! Like flying. Poe stay with you."

Kay's face is a blend of confusion and outright horror, and Cassian can't help but feel incredibly amused. He's trying to imagine if there's enough Purell in the world to help Kay through this later. He hears a couple of sounds, and he looks up to see both Shara and Jyn taking pictures. Then, he turns back to Kay in surprise when his friend says, "Cassian, children and cats? No! Don't rub against my leg!" at the same time that Poe happily says, "Kyber and Yoda kitties!"

A few hours later, Cassian is sitting up in bed with his iPad, in just sleep pants and shirtless, back to the headboard, waiting for Jyn. Bodhi and Yoda are asleep in the guest room and everyone else is gone. Kyber is curled into a ball at the foot of the bed, and Jyn emerges from the bathroom, dressed in sweats and one of his t-shirts. "Poor Kay. Do you think he's bathing in bleach and hand sanitizer right now?"

Cassian chuckles, setting his iPad aside. "Probably. I love that Kyber's black – he's going to be finding cat hair on those pants for weeks, even after he washes them. Trust me. Cat hair is forever."

Jyn laughs as she turns out the lights and climbs into the bed, scooting close to Cassian and curling into his side. He puts the iPad on his nightstand and turns that light out, too. After a moment, he says, "You and Shara seemed to be having a very serious conversation."

She nods, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, we were." Before he can ask, she goes on, "She and Kes want to update their wills to make us Poe's guardians if anything happens to them, with Chirrut and Baze as our back-ups."

Cassian freezes, stunned. "What? They barely know me. We're - " he hesitates briefly, "We're new. We're real, but we're so new, Jyn. I mean, I'd love it. That kid. I'd do pretty much anything to protect him. But," he pauses again, "Are they sure?"

She wraps her arms around his waist. "Yes. And I'll tell you now – they dug around a bit. They know about your parents and even about Gabriela."

He sighs. "Let me guess. Kes is a hacker, too?"

He feels her shrug against him. "More or less. I've been trying to get him to come work for us. He's really, really good at data-mining." She turns her head, pressing a kiss to his bare shoulder. "Shara said she was sorry, but they felt it was warranted given what they were thinking about."

He can't argue with that. "It's OK. I don't mind them knowing about my past. It's not particularly embarrassing or scandalous, just miserably awful."

"Yeah. Shara is impressed that you're not completely fucked up." She squeezes her arms around him.

He snorts. "High praise." They go quiet, and after a moment, he says, "When I walked Kay out, I told him about Krennic. I found out then that Kay really does like you."

"How so?" She asks the question softly, and he can tell that she's tired.

He gently moves her, sliding them both down in the bed. He faces her on his side, and she moves close, snuggling up into him. He explains, "He said that he's willing to destroy Krennic financially."

Jyn pulls back and looks up into his face in the light from the moon, filtering in through the window. "How?" Then, her eyes widen, and she sits up. "Kay is a hacker!"

He props himself up on his elbows, smirking. "You're not the only person with a past, querida."

"I'm going to give him such a hard time about this." Her expression softens. "He's willing to hack Krennic for me? That's so sweet."

Cassian laughs at that, and she moves back down. He flops down, curling up with her again. "I won't tell Kay you called him sweet." He grins. "Or I'll just wait until the next time he's being annoying, and I'll tell him then."

######

The next morning, Jyn, Cassian, and Bodhi meet Chirrut and Baze at the MI Security office. They'd been planning to go to Brooklyn for brunch, but Baze called this morning and asked them to go to the office instead.

After leaving their protection at the door, the three of them head towards Baze's office. Jyn notices Cassian peering around, and she remembers that this is his first time here. She takes his hand and entwines their fingers. "I'll give you the tour before we leave."

He smiles down at her. "OK. It looks like a cool space."

She nods, drawing him with her. He's right; their offices really are pretty cool, and they're also a clear reflection of Baze and Chirrut, the décor quite similar to their Brooklyn loft, simple and open, but warm at the same time.

When they step into Baze's office, Jyn gasps softly. Cassian says, "Querida, what is it?"

She points at the image Baze has projected up on his whiteboard. It's a man in a light-colored suit, his face scowling and angry. "Krennic." She sees Cassian blink as he stares at the man on the board. His eyes darken, all their usual softness gone, like that first night in the Falcon when he'd thought Baze was harassing her. Jyn squeezes his hand again. "Breathe, Cass."

Jyn is suddenly worried, because Cassian seems to be truly frozen. "Cassian?" He doesn't respond, just stares at the picture, seemingly almost entranced. She shoots a look at Baze and Bodhi, who are both looking on in surprise. She says, "Give us a minute," and pulls Cassian back out of the office.

She drags him down the hall, thankful that he follows willingly, and when they get far enough from the office for her, she moves him so that he slumps back against the wall. "Cassian, are you all right?" When he doesn't respond, she reaches up and brushes a hand through his hair. "Please, Cass. You're scaring me."

He shakes his head and takes a deep breath, blinking rapidly. "Sorry, Jyn. Lo siento. Lo siento."

She grips his upper arms gently. "Stop, Cass. You don't have anything to apologize for – but what just happened?"

"I don't know." He shakes his head again. "I don't know who the men were who killed my parents. I don't know what they looked like. I think maybe that seeing a picture of the man who killed yours and who is a threat to you made me freeze up completely. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

She leans in and kisses him, his slumped position against the wall making it easier than usual for her to reach him. When she pulls back slightly, he leans down and presses his forehead to hers, his eyes fluttering closed. She brings her hand up to card through his hair again, and she admonishes him gently. "Stop apologizing, Cass. It caught both of us off guard."

A moment later, a voice makes them both look up. "Children, are you all right? You in particular, my boy?"

Chirrut is standing there, a worried expression on his face. He walks up to them as they both straighten up, putting a hand on each of their shoulders. From the look on his face, Jyn can tell that Cassian is surprised that Chirrut did so with such ease. Jyn is used to it herself, and she takes Cassian's hand again, squeezing it. He blinks and says, "Yes, we're all right, Chirrut. I didn't mean to worry anyone."

Giving both of their shoulders a reassuring squeeze, Chirrut motions back towards the office with his head. "Come on, then, we have an interesting development."

When they get back to Baze's office, while the big man gives Jyn a warm look and a nod, he actually wraps Cassian up in a hug. She can see Cass tense up for a moment, but then he hugs Baze back, closing his eyes for a moment. It strikes her then that while she and Bodhi had a shitty time for a few years, at least they had true parents again for more than a decade, parents who are still here and standing by them. The fact that Chirrut and especially Baze can see that and are both willing to just draw Cassian into the family, such as it is, nearly makes her melt.

A moment later, Cassian is back at her side, and Baze goes back to his desk as if nothing happened. But Cassian relaxes next to her, all the residual anxiety seeming to slip away. Bodhi comes to Jyn's other side, briefly touching her arm as he does. They all look at Baze and Chirrut expectantly.

Baze clears his throat and says, "We think we know a way to draw Krennic out and bring him down."

 **AN:** **And yes, I'm sorry – cliffhanger. But not a big scary one, so there's that.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: No excuses. I know it has been forever. Also, sorry if my Spanish dialogue is clunky – blame Google translate!**

 **Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.**

Baze explains their idea, and Jyn lifts an eyebrow at Baze even as Cassian lets loose a string of filthy-sounding curses in Spanish. Switching back to English, Cassian says, his accent highly pronounced, "Your idea to draw Krennic out is to use Jyn as bait?" Bodhi moves close to Jyn, his head shaking rapidly. When she glances at both Cassian and then Bodhi, it surprises her to see that the one who looks upset and rattled is still Cassian, but not Bodhi.

Placing a hand on Cassian's arm, Jyn says, "Why now, Baze? For over a week now, we've had a living shadow. Now you want me to meet him in person?"

"Wearing a wire, Jyn," Chirrut offers, "I got a call from an old friend at the FBI. Apparently, our dear Mr. Krennic has pissed off a lot of people. He's not just harassing you."

Jyn blinks suspiciously, and she can tell that Cassian is still sparking with anger. She says, "Which old friend, Chirrut?"

"Ben." Baze growls the name. "Ben Kenobi."

"Your old mentor?" Jyn's eyes widen at Chirrut, and then she turns to Baze. "Didn't you have a falling out years ago? When Bodhi and I were at NYU?"

Chirrut sighs heavily, and Baze shrugs before replying, "Yes. We did. Over you. Or, more specifically, over your father's work."

Jyn freezes, and her hand drops from Cassian's arm. He seems to sense that she's the one upset now, and he moves slightly closer to her, gently wrapping an arm around her and tucking her close to his side. She finds his hand and covers it with hers, entwining their fingers and relaxing slightly into him. "What does that mean, Baze?" Her voice is soft when she asks, but there is cold steel beneath it. "And why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't anything really, Little One. Supposition with nothing behind it." Baze's voice is placating, and it isn't lost on Jyn that Chirrut is silent again.

"And when I told you what I found when I hacked Krennic? What about then? Or when he called the office? What about then, Baze? Chirrut? What about then?" She's furious with them. They both remain quiet, and she moves even closer to Cassian.

Bodhi stuns her then by saying, "What the hell, you two? She deserves an answer. How could you keep this from her? From us? We have protection on Poe, guys. Protection on a toddler, a baby. A complete innocent. How could you not say something?"

He looks and sounds as outraged and angry as Cassian did a moment ago, and Jyn can't help the wave of gratitude and pride that washes over her. This Bodhi is new to her, and it occurs to her that while he may be a bit broken, he will protect her as much as she protects him.

"Children, we considered telling you," Chirrut begins, but it's Cassian who cuts him off.

"They are not children, Chirrut. With all due respect, there is no excuse that will work for this. Did you never follow up once Jyn found what she did?" Jyn looks up to see Cassian's eyes narrow as he finishes speaking, sweeping from Chirrut to Baze.

Neither Chirrut nor Baze respond, and as their silences stretches out, Jyn feels herself deflate. She shakes her head, and she levels a look at Baze. "When you're ready to talk to us, you know where we live."

Squeezing Cassian's hand, Jyn nods to Bodhi, and the three of them leave the room together. They're almost to the elevator when they hear Chirrut behind them. The three of them turn as Chirrut says, "It was a mistake, Jyn. We just wanted to protect you."

Jyn drops Cassian's hand and stalks up to Chirrut, now joined by Baze. "You did the opposite. If you'd worked with Kenobi, maybe I never would have hacked Krennic. Poe wouldn't be at risk. Cassian and Bodhi wouldn't. Shara, Kes, Luke, Han, Leia, and – "

Clenching her fists and closing her eyes, Jyn takes a deep breath and stops herself from mentioning Leia's pregnancy. In a softer tone, she goes on, "All these people, people I love, they'd be safe from Krennic, not on his radar. Their being at risk is partially on me, but now I know it's partially on you, too. You should have known I would eventually dig. You knew I was suspicious. I told you early on."

Feeling tears well, she turns back towards Cassian and Bodhi. Over her shoulder, she quietly says, "Come see us tonight. Right now, I need some time."

"Jyn, please stay." Baze's voice is softer than she's used to hearing, but she can't quite feel bad for him.

Without turning back, she says again, "I need time to process this, Baze. Tonight. Come to our apartment tonight, and we'll talk. But come prepared to talk, not with more excuses."

They all leave then, and she clings to Cassian as they go. When they get to the street, their protection picks them up, two men, one for Bodhi and one for Jyn and Cassian. Bodhi nods at his before saying, "Jyn, I'm supposed to go meet Luke for lunch, but I can come home with you two instead."

She shakes her head. "No, Bodes. You can go. Cassian will look after me." She leans up and hugs him tight to her. "I love you, big brother. Thank you for being there for me just now."

He hugs her back. "It's not even close to even on that score, Jynnie." He releases her and looks at Cassian. "You OK, Cass?"

Cassian nods, and Jyn moves back to his side as he says, "Yeah, Bodhi. I'm pissed but fine. Jyn and I will be OK. See you back at ours later?"

Bodhi rubs the back of his neck with one hand. "Yes, if you don't mind. Luke is working a double."

"Of course we don't mind, Bodhi." Cassian smiles and reaches out to squeeze Bodhi's shoulder. "See you there later."

######

Cassian pulls Jyn closer to him, and he drops a kiss to her temple and says, "Home?"

Jyn nods, and they are about to head for the subway when their protection man steps forward. "Dr. Andor, Miss Erso?"

Cassian blinks. "Yes?"

The man nods and says, "Mr. Malbus called me and said, and I quote, 'She may tell you to fuck off, but can you offer to just drive them home, as I know they took the subway here.'"

Jyn rolls her eyes as Cassian chuckles. He looks down at her, and after a moment, she sighs and nods.  
"Sure. A ride would be nice."

They follow the man, who has been with them for the last week, into the garage. There, they get into a discreet black sedan. The man gets behind the wheel, and he says, "Times Square is a mess still. I'm going to go south of it and head west. OK? I just don't want you to worry."

"Of course. Thank you." Jyn's voice is soft when she responds, and she then settles in close to Cassian.

He's concerned about her. She has been off all morning. He can understand why, but it makes his desire to protect her flare. He swallows hard against that feeling, and he softly asks, "You OK, querida? Really OK?"

She shakes her head, sighing. "No. I'm not. I trusted them and they kept this from me. They let me dig into Krennic without warning me or telling me that there was reason to be suspicious. I'm more disappointed than anything else."

Cassian cringes at the hurt in her voice, and he vows to himself that he won't ever keep important things from her. "Jyn, Bella." She tenses at his conciliatory tone, and he is quick to reassure her. "I won't defend them. They were trying to protect you, but it was a messed up way to go about that. The better way would have been to work with their old contact. It sounds to me like they let pride get in the way."

"Yeah." She leans up and kisses his cheek. "I love you for seeing that. And I know you want to protect me right now, too. I like to think that you'll at least be straight with me when you do things in the name of keeping me safe."

"Can I ask you for something here?" He leans away to catch her eye. She blinks, but then she nods. "I won't fight you on meeting Krennic with a wire on, but – " He hesitates briefly before going on, "Please let me be there with you."

"Cass, I don't want you in danger." She frowns, shaking her head.

"And I don't want you in danger, either, bella. We are aligned on that." He cups her cheek in his palm. "But I'm theoretically already in danger by association, no?"

"Ma'am?" Both Jyn and Cassian look up at their driver, who glances back at them as they stop at a light. "The doc is right. I do think that you'll be safer with him there, if only because it's a lot more suspicious if something happens to both of you, and also because he's right. He's already compromised to some extent. Krennic might even target the doc to get to you."

Jyn takes a quick breath, and even Cassian has to swallow hard at that. He appreciates the support, though, and he nods his thanks to the man. He turns back to Jyn. "Please, Jyn."

After a moment, she takes his hand, twining their fingers together, and then she sighs. "All right. But we both will wear a wire, OK? And we have protection nearby."

The car pulls up outside their building, and the guard pulls into the garage, dropping them at the door. The guard gets out, coming around the car to open Jyn's door. She climbs out, and Cassian comes around the car to stand with them. The guard nods. "I wouldn't be anywhere else, Miss Erso. I like you and the doc, and, pardon my language, this Krennic sounds like a real piece of shit. The guys we have on the Damerons will want to help. They're in love with that kid. I think they're going to offer babysitting services after this job is over."

Cassian snorts as Jyn grins at the guard. "Thank you," Jyn replies, "And Poe is awfully hard to resist."

The man asks, "Are you two in for the day, ma'am, Doc?"

After exchanging a look with Jyn, Cassian replies, "We are. Go spend time with your family, and happy New Year."

"Same you, Doc." He nods. "Ma'am."

They know the drill, and Cassian guides Jyn to the elevator, tailed by the guard. He disappears as they get on the elevator, and moments later, they're inside the apartment. Jyn leans back against the closed door with a sigh, and Cassian leans his shoulder against it after flipping the dead bolt. He leans down and presses a kiss to her temple. He then repeats his question from the car. "You OK, querida?"

She wraps her arms around her waist and looks down at the floor. "Not really. I trusted them. I work for them. They're my dads. But this isn't all right, you know?"

"I do know. What can I do?" He finds himself desperate to make her feel better.

"Can we go get in bed and watch bowl games?" She peers up at him through her lashes.

He grins. "Seriously, what did I do to deserve a woman who takes consolation from watching football games?"

"Living right, Doc. You've been living right." She smirks up at him, and then she takes his hand as the two cats find them at the door, meowing softly.

He lets her guide him towards the bedroom, only pausing in the kitchen to grab a bag of popcorn and a bottle of water. Ten minutes later, they're changed into sweats and t-shirts, curled up in the bed with Yoda at their feet and Kyber on Jyn's pillow. They're watching the Fiesta Bowl, but Cassian isn't surprised when he feels Jyn's breathing even out as she clings to him. He peers down and can see that she's sound asleep, her head on his chest.

His hand is buried in her hair, and he turns the volume low on the game as he gets a little lost in thought. He thinks back to seeing the picture of Krennic at Baze and Chirrut's office. He is troubled by his reaction to the picture.

Closing his eyes, he lets himself drift back to the day his father's lawyer came to tell him about his parents. He remembers blinking and insisting over and over that he didn't understand. He'd run to his room and slammed the door, refusing to believe the lawyer. It only became real when his Tía Silvia showed up. She'd brought him food and sat on the bed with him, clearly expecting him to fall apart. He hadn't. He'd gone silent and frozen, staring off into space.

He'd cried at the funeral, but silently, a boy doing all he could to be stoic and calm. A kidnapping gone wrong ended his old life. The impact was the same, but he knows that what happened to Lyra and Galen Erso was different, targeted with an intent to kill, ending Jyn's family willfully. Blinking, he turns his head to look down at the top of Jyn's head, nuzzling her hair lightly with his nose. Her shampoo smells of coconuts, and it has rapidly become one of his favorite smells.

He refocuses on the game to avoid allowing his mind to wander to Krennic. He wants Jyn to hear Baze and Chirrut out this afternoon, and he thinks she will. Hopefully, they can sort out all this nonsense soon and get rid of the bastard.

Jyn wakes up over an hour-and-a-half later, blinking awake as the game ends. She looks up at him, her head moving from his chest but her arm staying wrapped around him and her leg thrown across his. She gives him a sleepy half smile, and he leans down to kiss her. When he pulls back, he softly asks, "What was that look about?"

She laughs and tucks her head back under his chin. "You make a good pillow."

He chuckles before turning serious. "Feeling better? I imagine Chirrut and Baze will show up soon, Bodhi too."

As if on cue, both of their phones ping with a new text message. It's easier for him to grab his, and, seeing that it's from Bodhi to both of them, he laughs out loud and then reads, "Speak of the devil. From Bodhi, 'I'm getting on the elevator in your building. If you're making out or worse, please send a warning text back. I don't need to see any shit that can't be unseen, OK? This day has been bad enough."

Jyn sits up, shaking her head. "It probably took the entire subway ride here for him to type that on his phone."

Cassian nods, standing up after Jyn releases him. She gets on her knees and moves to his side of the bed. He leans down when he gets to her, pressing a deep kiss to her lips that soon turns heated. They jump apart a moment later at the sound of the alarm beeping that the door has opened and closed followed by Bodhi yelling, "Seriously, you two, if you're getting busy, just bang on the wall or something, and I'll hide in the guest room."

Laughing, Jyn lets Cassian pull her off of the bed, and they walk into the kitchen followed by the cats. They meet Bodhi there, and he eyes their clearly-rumpled appearances suspiciously. Jyn smirks. "I don't know if it was really making out. There wasn't all that much tongue."

Snorting and shaking his head, Cassian goes to get them all beers from the fridge as Bodhi says, "Damn it, Jynnie, now I have that picture in my head."

Without having to ask if she wants to order in, Cassian passes a Chinese food menu to Jyn along with her beer. She smiles her thanks, and he smiles back, adding, "Order enough for Chirrut and Baze, too." She scowls, but he shrugs. "They may have messed up, but no reason to be crappy hosts, querida."

Jyn rolls her eyes. "You're too damned nice, Cass."

He shrugs again. "I'm fairly sure you're going to forgive them. I'd like to stay on their good side."

"He has a point there, Jynnie." Bodhi smirks.

With a huff, Jyn goes back to the bedroom to grab her phone. When she leaves, Bodhi looks at Cassian. "Is she OK?"

"She will be, Bodhi. She's processing, I think."

With a nod, Bodhi responds, "I'm worried about her facing Krennic alone, Cass."

Cassian reaches out and squeezes Bodhi's upper arm, already having figured out that touch is calming to the man. "She won't. She agreed earlier that I can be there with her when she faces the pendejo."

He realizes that Bodhi knows some Spanish when the pilot replies, "¿Qué harás si él la amenaza?"

Cassian tenses. "If he threatens her, podría patearle el culo."

"Or you could let the guards kick his ass, Cassian, while you two get the hell out of there." Bodhi shakes his head and laughs. "You two are made for each other, I think. You're equally violent."

Cassian lets out a strained laugh. "And that's the thing, isn't it? She can kick his ass on her own. I'm really going because I need to know she's OK. She won't let me protect her, but I just want to stand by her. I want her to know that I'm with her all the way." He relaxes slightly and lifts an eyebrow. "¿Quién te enseñó español?"

Bodhi smiles. "Shara has been teaching me since we started flying together. The Organas have operations all over. Some of the flights are long. It's something to do."

######

Jyn finishes ordering the food, and she heads back to the kitchen. She hears Bodhi and Cassian talking, and she has to swallow a laugh when Cassian calls Krennic a pendejo. Listening, she frowns when Cassian tells Bodhi, at least according to Bodhi's response, that he will kick Krennic's ass if Krennic threatens her.

Then, she goes warm all over when Cassian says that he's with her all the way. She blinks back tears, realizing that he makes her feel secure in a way she's never felt before, not even with her parents or with Chirrut and Baze.

Swallowing back the lump of emotion in her throat, she goes back into the kitchen saying, "No fair, Bodes. I don't love the idea that you and my boyfriend can talk about me and I'll have no idea what you're saying."

Bodhi grins. "Make your boyfriend teach you, little sister."

"Ugh." She shakes her head. "You know I suck at languages."

"Except for the swear words. You were always pretty good at learning those." Bodhi gives her a pointed look, and Cassian laughs out loud.

"Do tell, querida." Cassian gives her a look so adoring that it borders on sickening – in a good way, at least in her opinion.

"Yeah, yeah, I can cuss someone out in about ten different languages. This can't be particularly surprising to you." She tucks herself into his side, and he drops a kiss to the top of her head.

"You're right. It's not." Cassian seems to be about to say something else when a knock at the front door makes them all look up.

Bodhi sighs. "I told the doorman to let them up. It must be Chirrut and Baze."

They all head into the living room, Jyn curling up in one corner of the sofa. She's still simmering mad at them, and she wants to keep some distance. Cassian opens the door as Bodhi leans against the wall near where Jyn sits. Jyn is surprised when she realizes that her dads aren't alone. She can read tension rolling off of both of them as they enter followed by an older man in a brown jacket and tan pants. He looks a little frayed, but Jyn can tell that despite his slightly rumpled appearance, he's not a man to be trifled with.

As Cassian closes the door, something clicks in Jyn's head. She knows this man. She sits up straighter. "This is Ben Kenobi, isn't it, Chirrut? I remember seeing him at the loft a few times when Bodhi and I were in high school. I didn't put two and two together until just now."

Ben speaks first. "Yes. It's good to see you again, Miss Erso."

She cocks her head at him. "It's Jyn. You taught me to play three-card monte."

"That was you?" Bodhi snorts. "Thanks, Mr. Kenobi. You're officially the reason I was always broke in high school."

Cassian joins Jyn on the sofa, motioning to Chirrut, Baze, and Mr. Kenobi to take seats in the chairs or barstools. Jyn immediately scoots close to him and says, "No, Bodhi. You were always broke because you were an easy mark. I love you, big brother, but I like to think that I was helping you learn not to get suckered in."

Bodhi rolls his eyes and joins them on the sofa. "Thanks."

Kenobi looks amused at the banter, and Jyn notices that Baze does too. She can't help but soften a little when she catches Baze's eye. There is so much contrition in his gaze that she knows she won't be able to stay mad at him or at Chirrut. She turns to Kenobi. "So, you want me to help you take down Krennic, Mr. Kenobi?"

"Supervisory Special Agent Kenobi, to be exact, but please just call me Ben." The man settles in the chair across from the sofa. "And yes. I think I have nearly enough to prosecute on conspiracy and racketeering charges under RICO law, but I'd like to get him on the record, on tape, incriminating himself. For some reason, you seem to really piss him off, Jyn."

She feels Cassian go rigid against her at that, and she puts a hand on his arm. "I'll meet with him, but Cassian will be with me, both of us wearing wires."

Kenobi looks at them both for a moment, then he focuses on Cassian. "I'm sorry about your family, Dr. Andor."

Jyn looks up at Cassian, who blinks in surprise before saying, "Thank you. And it's Cassian."

"You researched us." Jyn doesn't phrase it as a question.

Kenobi responds anyway. "Of course I did, Jyn. That's my job. I'm not at all surprised to hear that Cassian here will be with you when you meet with Krennic. I'm fine with that, by the way, and Krennic has been digging around about him and about your friends and family, Leia Organa-Solo and Mr. Rook here in particular, so I don't think it'll surprise Krennic when you show up with him in tow."

"Leia? He's digging into Leia?" Jyn stands abruptly.

"I'm afraid so, little one." Baze is the one to speak this time.

"But she's – " Jyn pauses, then she shakes her head and looks hard at Kenobi, hoping Leia won't mind her sharing the secret. "She's pregnant, Ben. I want her out of this. I want this over. I want her safe."

"Damn it," Baze mutters, "We thought she might be, but we weren't certain."

Kenobi frowns. "I'm sorry, Jyn. Let's try to get this all set up for tomorrow if we can. Can you and Cassian make that work?"

Jyn looks up at Cassian, who gives her a quick nod and murmurs, "Scott and Wedge know about all this. They can cover for me at the clinic if needs be."

She leans up and kisses his cheek. "Thank you." She turns back to Ben. "That's fine."

Chirrut has been quiet, but he finally speaks up. "Jyn, may I speak with you for a moment?"

She hesitates before saying a quiet yes. "Let's go out on the terrace." She rises, grabbing her coat and heading for the door, taking Chirrut's hand and leading him there.

He follows her outside, closing the door behind him. "This is all my fault, little one. I'm sorry. Ben called us about Krennic back when you and Bodhi were in college, but I didn't want to listen. I wanted to keep you clear of any more pain. It never occurred to me that doing so could put people in danger."

Jyn sighs. Chirrut is rarely wrong about things, and she recognizes that it's not easy for him to own up to this mistake. "I know you meant well, Chirrut. But I don't like secrets. I don't like being kept in the dark."

"I know that, Jyn. I am truly sorry." Chirrut shakes his head but reaches towards her.

Realizing that holding a grudge over this isn't worth it, she takes his hand and lets him pull her into a hug. Against his shoulder, she says, "Don't keep things from me again, OK, Chirrut? No more secrets."

He nods. "You have my word. I love you, my girl. You and Bodhi are everything to us, you know that, don't you?"

"I do." She clings close to him.

"And little one, please don't be mad at Baze. This decision was all mine. He fought me on it back then, but I was the one who was adamant. He thought we should have had you talk to Ben. My pride and my belief that keeping it from you was the right thing made me fight him on that. He hated it."

"It's OK, Chirrut, and I won't hold it against Baze, I promise." She hugs him one more time. "Now let's go back in there before they think I tossed you off the balcony."

Chirrut chuckles. "Good idea. Though when this started right before Christmas, I'll tell you the truth, Baze might've helped you toss me over the rail. He was quite angry. I've heard a lot of 'I told you so' in the last week."

Looping her arm through Chirrut's, she guides him back inside. "I bet you have."

When they get inside, Cassian is waiting for them. Chirrut leans down to lightly kiss Jyn's forehead and then heads back to the living room. Jyn looks up at Cassian's worried expression, and she softly says, "We're OK."

He nods, and he pulls her close to him. "I'm glad, querida." He steps back a moment later. "You heard me talking with Bodhi earlier, sí?"

"Yes. You don't have to kick his ass, Cassian, but I'm oddly flattered that you want to." She looks up at him. "And I know you're with me, but it was rather nice to hear you say it with so much determination."

He takes her hand and kisses the back of it. "Never doubt it, querida. I'm with you, all the way."

"And I'm with you, Cass. All the way." She squeezes his hand. "Now let's go see what Kenobi want us to do tomorrow."


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: No excuses. I know it has been forever; I'm trying hard to wrap up this AU and my JediPilot AU both. And yes, if anyone watches NCIS: Los Angeles, there's a reference in here that you'll recognize.**

 **Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.**

Sitting in a conference room at MI Security and watching Jyn get miked up by one of Ben's FBI Agents, Cassian can't help but think, not for the first time, that this plan is completely loco. He is fighting his instinct to grab Jyn and bolt, knowing it won't help. Again not for the first time today, he closes his eyes and admonishes himself and reminds himself that this will be over soon, shifting and feeling his own wireless mike chafe lightly under his t-shirt and sweatshirt.

After Ben, Baze, and Chirrut left last night and Jyn and Bodhi talked while Cassian talked to Kay about something, Bodhi had quietly bid them good night and gone to bed. He was clearly worried about Jyn but also clearly trying to give them some space. He and Jyn had retreated to the bedroom, and Jyn had concerned him by being unusually quiet. When they'd climbed into bed, she'd moved close to him immediately, burrowing into his side and clinging to him.

He'd asked her if she was OK, and she'd replied, "No. What if this doesn't work, Cass? What if we can't get him to admit to anything? I feel sick that Leia is being targeted." She'd referred to the list of things that Ben had reviewed with them, a long list of suspected crimes committed by Krennic, ranging from extortion to racketeering and murder. Admitting to any one of them will open the door for Ben and the FBI to step in.

He hadn't had an answer for her, but he doesn't really think she was looking for one. She'd fallen into a fitful sleep shortly after, but it had taken him longer. His brain just wouldn't shut down. He hasn't spoken to a therapist in years; his aunt had made him see one for several months after he came to live with her, but that was when he was a kid. He recognizes that this might be a good time to get with one again, maybe with Jyn, if she'll agree.

He knows that he has some emotions to unpack around all that is going on. It occurred to him last night as he'd held Jyn and stared at the ceiling that a small part of him wants to be directly involved in this because of how helpless he'd felt about his parents and even Gabriela. It's his way of trying to control the situation, to be an active participant instead of someone who just has things happening to him and the people he loves.

Blinking, he has to resist the urge to visibly shiver. He doesn't know what he'll do if something happens to Jyn. He's only known her four weeks, and she's practically become his whole world. He'll literally be lost himself if he loses her. If he's sure of anything, he's sure of the fact that he can't go back to being OK alone. He won't be OK alone anymore. He needs her with him more than he's ever needed anything before in his life.

"Hey." Jyn's soft voice makes him jump. "You all right?"

Cassian looks around and sees that the agent already left, leaving them alone in the conference room. "Mierda. Yes. Sorry, querida."

She wraps her arms around his waist, hugging him close as she tucks her head under his chin. "It's fine. You were just a million miles away. You do that sometimes, and it scares me a little that maybe you won't come back." She curses herself. She hadn't meant to say that last part out loud. She'd just been watching him, and the distant, blank look on his face terrified her. She's only seen his face like that a few times in the last several weeks, but never like he'd looked a moment ago, never that blank.

He pulls back but keeps his arms loosely around her, looking at her with a surprised expression on his face. "Jyn, I –"

She tries to move away, but his arms tighten around her. She rests her hands on his arms, looking at his shoulder instead of up into his puppy-dog eyes. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to sound so needy, so clingy. It's not me at all." She feels him chuff out a laugh at that, and she leans back to look up at him. "What's so funny?"

He gives her a sheepish look and presses a kiss to her forehead. "What you just said is pretty on the nose for how I was just feeling." She must look confused, because he swears softly in Spanish and goes on, "Needy. I was thinking about how much I need you, how I won't be OK if something happens to you."

Biting her lower lip, she laughs softly and shakes her head. "Well, at least we're on the same page."

He grows serious then, and her smile fades as she grows concerned again. "Querida, I want us to set a safe word for Ben and his team. If we get uncomfortable," he pauses at her raised eyebrow before amending, "Right, if we get unreasonably uncomfortable, we say it and they pull us out."

She doesn't love the idea – she wants this over – but she agrees. With a nod, she says, "OK." He must have expected her to fight him on it, because he blinks and goes quiet. She sighs. "I don't like it, but you're right. We need to have an out. Ben will probably recommend something like that anyway."

Cassian relaxes, clearly relieved. "Sí. Yes. I think he will." He takes her hand. "You ready for this?"

She squeezes his hand, holding it tight in hers, and then she leans up and kisses him. "No. Not at all. You?"

He chuckles softly. "Not even a little bit."

As they turn to leave the conference room, Jyn offers, "I want our safe word to be noodles."

He snorts. "I'm afraid to ask why, querida."

"The confusion it would cause Krennic would be really enjoyable." She shrugs. "And I just like saying noodles. Nooooo-dles."

Cassian stops her, pulling her to him. She's surprised but also not when he leans down and kisses her gently. "I love you, querida, and I love that you keep surprising me and seem to be trying to lift the mood. And don't try to deny it – we both know that silly isn't really your M.O."

She relaxes a little, reaching up and cupping his cheek with her palm. "Busted. But I really do like saying noodles. It's a great word. Not enough words are inherently amusing."

They start towards the door again. "I don't know; as a non-native speaker, I find a lot of English words pretty inherently amusing."

"Fair point." She smiles up at him briefly before taking a deep breath. "Cass?" He lifts an eyebrow, and she goes on, "Thank you for doing this with me."

"Like I said last night, Jyn, I'm with you all the way." He takes her hand again and squeezes it.

When they emerge from the conference room, Chirrut and Baze are waiting along with Ben, Bodhi, and a few FBI field agents, one of them their driver whose name they now know is Mike. With no preamble, Ben lays out the plan. The night before, Ben had directed her on how to contact Krennic, using the number the man had left on the recorded line at the office. She'd sent him a text from a burn phone given to her by Ben, setting a time and place to meet, a large café in the Village that will likely be sparsely populated mid-morning the day after New Year's.

Krennic had agreed quickly, specifying no cops. Jyn had agreed via text while smirking at Ben and stating that it wasn't a lie – they're Feds, not cops. That elicited a loud snort from Ben.

The team was identified then. Bodhi, Baze, and Chirrut will be nearby in a van, along with Ben and part of his team. Baze wants to be in the café with them, but Ben said no. The rest of the team, Mike included, will be in the café with them, posing as customers. Mike is the only one from the current security details that will join them, as his presence would be expected with Jyn and Cassian. The rest of the team came from either the local field office or from DC with Ben.

Ben looks at them. "OK, you two. All I need you to do is get him talking, preferably boasting. Piss him off if you need to. The man is so arrogant that he'll likely slip up. Any admission on any crime works. Remember, Capone went to prison for tax evasion. Jyn, bait him with the information you gave me last night if needed." He refers to the file of data from her hacking that she'd turned over the night before, only after Ben signed an immunity from prosecution agreement.

"Got it." Jyn nods. "And Cassian and I want to have a safe word, something we can say that will make you all pull us out quickly."

Ben clearly approves of this. "That was my next order of business. Do you have a word in mind?"

Surprising them all, Bodhi interjects, "Let me guess. Noodles?"

Cassian laughs out loud, and Jyn grins and nods. Baze mutters, "Well, that's random."

"Not really." Bodhi shrugs, grinning back at Jyn. "Baze, didn't you ever notice that she never says pasta or the correct name for pastas, that she always just says noodles? She likes saying noodles."

Ben shakes his head, and the field agents look amused. "Noodles it is."

An hour later, Jyn and Cassian settle into a corner booth in the café. They both have coffee in front of them, and they carefully position themselves with line of sight to Mike and to the door. Jyn is aware of where the other agents are, three of them, and it makes her feel a bit better.

After fifteen minutes and enough coffee to make Jyn jittery as hell, Krennic sweeps in. She can't help herself, rolling her eyes at his entrance in another cape thinking, seriously, who the hell wears capes in an unironic way? He directs two men that are clearly his muscle to tables near the door. In seconds, Jyn can see that they both have weaknesses in their knees. She whispers a silent prayer of thanks to Baze and his years of working with her on self-defense.

Krennic comes to their table, a smarmy smile on his face. "Little Jynnie, it's so good to see you again." He looks askance at Cassian, who is leaned back next to her, looking relaxed. She can tell that he isn't, but he is surprisingly good at faking it. He's coiled like a spring, and she can feel it in how he holds her hand. "I assumed we'd be alone."

Jyn gives him a cold smile. "Well, you know what they say about assuming. It makes an ass out of u and me." The man's veneer falters, so Jyn digs in. "What the hell do you want, Krennic? You must be at loose ends if you're spending so much time harassing the daughter of a former employee."

The man's eyes narrow, and he completely drops the friendly overtures. "Only because I figured out that the daughter in question has been hacking my company."

"First, Mr. Krennic, I have no idea what you're talking about." No way in hell is Jyn going to admit on tape that she hacked Krennic, immunity agreement or not. "Second, even if that did happen, what type of loss did you suffer? Has your business been impacted? If so, you should call the FBI. They do have a cybersecurity unit that could help you." Krennic flinches back and looks speechless at that, and Jyn sits back, her expression cold and veiled.

Cassian marvels at Jyn. She's fearless and ruthless and he doesn't think it would be possible to love her more. He also wants to get in on this a bit, as Krennic is likely assuming that he knows little to nothing on this stuff. "Sí, Mr. Krennic, if you think you've been hacked, you really should call the authorities. Isn't your business publicly traded? I think there are actually rules about things like that, at least from a regulatory perspective."

"Doctor Andor, what would a Mexican vet know about US regulations?" Krennic sneers.

Cassian wishes he was surprised by the fact that the piece of shit is a bigot and a murderer, but he's not. "Not much, but I have friends in Investment Banking. They were recently hacked and spent weeks talking with the SEC and other regulators. I would guess that a public company would do the same, or at least issue a press release so that their clients are aware."

He can tell from Jyn's body language that she is surprised by this. He'd talked to Kay last night, peppered him with questions, and he'd come armed with this information. He also hears two clicks in his ear, a sign from Ben to stick with this conversation.

Jyn must hear it too, because she joins in. "How do you know his name, Krennic? One might think you're paranoid about something. It's not like Cassian introduced himself. What is your interest in me? If you're so sure I hacked you, what is stopping you from calling the Feds?"

Krennic hesitates. "Well, Jynnie –"

"Do not call me Jynnie, Krennic. My name is Jyn or Miss Erso." Jyn's voice is icy again.

"Isn't that what your father called you?" Krennic gives her a pointed look, and Cassian wants to punch the bastard.

"It is. And only one other person is allowed to. That other person is decidedly not you. I'll ask again, Mr. Krennic, what do you want with me?"

Krennic clearly tries to look conciliatory. "Well, once again, Jyn, I do think you looked into my company inappropriately, so –"

"And once again, Krennic, why wouldn't you call the Feds?" Cassian challenges him again.

"My boy, I owe that to her father, not turning her in." Krennic says the words so condescendingly that Cassian again wants to hit him, but he's more worried that it feels like Jyn is preparing to launch herself at the man.

"Considering that Galen Erso had already given his notice when he and his wife were killed," Cassian is very purposeful in his wording, and he sees Krennic react, "I'd say your loyalty is misplaced. You really do owe it to your shareholders and customers to report this alleged hacking."

"Unless you're afraid of the Feds, Orson." Jyn uses his first name in a voice dripping with derision. "I'd also guess that your shareholders and board of directors won't be impressed that, allegedly, a young girl managed to hack your security. I mean, what does that say about your oversight of a multi-million dollar organization? To get beaten by a kid? What must you be so worried about if you're too chickenshit to go to the authorities?"

"And maybe Jyn should report you to the police for harassment? I've heard the recordings from your calls to her office. You threaten and yell, and you were told repeatedly to stop calling. That sounds a lot like harassment."

Krennic is flushed at this point, and it occurs to Cassian that Krennic thought this would be a lot easier. "I wanted to give you an opportunity to come clean, Jyn. I didn't want to call the Feds yet, not until I spoke with you."

Cassian squeezes Jyn's hand and says, "Yet? Well, Mr. Krennic, you've now spoken with Jyn. I'm sure you're not surprised to know that there are Feds nearby. Let's call them over so you can get moving on your report to them. Unless you want to continue to cover this up, unless you want to continue to defraud your shareholders?"

"What? I am not defrauding anyone." Krennic looks apoplectic.

Cassian feels Jyn squeeze his hand this time before she says, "Of course you are, Orson. Given the sensitive nature of your weapons research, your stock will certainly take a hit when this becomes public. By hiding it, it could be claimed that you were trying to manipulate the stock price, couldn't it?"

In what must only be his ear (judging by Jyn's lack of reaction), Cassian is provided something to say that makes him smile in a way that is clearly noticed by Krennic. Before Krennic can say anything, Cassian says, "So, Mr. Krennic, if you were doing that, I wonder what it would look like if you'd recently, I don't know, sold a significant number of shares in your company? Those sales, given your position, have to be made public via filing. Did you do that, or did you do it back channel?"

Krennic face goes even redder, and Cassian instinctively pulls Jyn closer, the ridiculous word noodles on the tip of his tongue. But then, Krennic does exactly what Ben predicted. He cracks. He leans in and hisses, "No one will ever get me on insider trading, because that would mean that Miss Erso would have to go to jail – so yes, I did make some trades, but there's nothing you can do about it." He glares at Jyn. "You're a pain in the ass, and you were always a little shit. I just wish you'd been in the car with Galen and Lyra after my people damaged the brakes."

Cassian's eyes widen, and Jyn lets out an involuntary startled laugh. Without hesitation and at the same moment, they both blurt out, "Noodles."

They both watch as Krennic's face goes from rage to confusion. Realization only appears to hit him when Mike walks up behind him and puts him under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, murder, and insider trading. Krennic starts shouting threats, making the other people in the café look up as the man is marched out of the door in handcuffs by Mike and the other field agents. Jyn laughs again as the two guys who came in with Krennic bolt from the café as if they'd been set on fire.

Blinking, Cassian turns to Jyn. She just shrugs and says, "Well, so, that just happened."

Cassian laughs, and he pulls her to him in a hug. From where her face is buried in his shoulder, she says, "Damn it, I have to be really nice to Kay now, don't I? That was bloody brilliant."

He leans back so that he can press a kiss to her forehead. "Just a thank you will be enough for him. He's funny that way when it comes to the very small number of people he actually cares about." He looks down at her, and she is looking up at him with a strange expression on her face. "Bella, are you all right?"

She blinks a few times before completely blowing his mind. "Cassian, will you marry me?"

He knows he should be freaked out. They've known each other a month. He stifles a laugh, and then, without hesitation, he says, "Yes. I already have your ring, by the way."

"Of course you do." She rolls her eyes and then leans up to kiss him. He pulls her close, ignoring the voices in his ear.

Those voices, from the van, would make him laugh if he wasn't so wrapped up in her. Bodhi says, "Did they just get engaged?"

Chirrut actually sounds surprised, a rarity from what Cassian knows of him. "They did. I just can't believe our little Jyn did the asking." Bodhi's voice agrees with that sentiment.

Baze's rumbling voice is the last thing Cassian hears before someone mercifully cuts the feed, and it makes him even happier. "Of course she did. Have either of you ever met her? She only is cautious when she's unsure. She asked him because she's sure."

 **NOTE: OK, only a couple more left in this story. I promise I won't make you wait 10 months for the next one.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: So, I knew I wanted to time-jump this, but I hadn't planned originally on it being this big of a jump – but inspiration hit based on the new movie next week. Fair warning to those who haven't read my Damerey stories, Ben isn't exactly my favorite character – I don't bash much at all here, but forewarning – I am Damerey all the way.**

 **Last thing, sorry if the Spanish in this sucks. Blame Google Translate. Here we go with "Where Are They Now?"**

 **Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.**

Two months after Krennic, they get married at the Falcon. Maz, unbelievably, is an ordained minister in some church they've never heard of, but it's good enough for them. They have a small, simple ceremony and a similarly small party after. Cassian watches Jyn float from group to group, her rings glinting in the low light of the club. She, Shara, and a very-pregnant Leia dance to "I Will Survive," and Cassian, Kes, and Han just get out of their way.

His favorite moment of the night may be when Shara coaxes Kay, the best man, onto the dance floor. She's the only woman in their little group who is over 5'4", so she gets designated as the "one who'll get Mr. Roboto to dance." He's not surprised when she succeeds, and he laughs almost uncontrollably at the shocked look on her face when a song appropriate to a waltz begins and Kay steers her around smoothly and effortlessly.

When they finish dancing, Kay bows deeply and raises an eyebrow at Shara. "My mother sent me to European boarding schools. Of course I learned to waltz."

Poe was adorable in a tiny suit and tie for the ceremony, though Shara and Kes were wise enough to bring him some sweatpants and a tiny "I'm the Ring Bearer!" t-shirt to change into. Bucking tradition, Bodhi was Jyn's "maid of honor." She refused to even discuss it with anyone. Bodhi was entirely on board, even wearing a great dove-grey suit that compliments Jyn's silvery dress.

After food and cake are consumed, the place gets quiet, everyone happily full of food and drinks. That's when Cassian gets Jyn back on the dance floor – they haven't danced together since the first dance of the night. As Nat King Cole sings about someone unforgettable, Cassian pulls Jyn close as they sway along gently. "Hey Jyn?"

She looks up at him, not too far given the impressive four-inch heels she has on. "Hmm?"

"Thanks for asking me to marry you." He pushes some hair out of her eyes.

"Thanks for saying yes." She leans up and pecks him on the lips. "Timing was good, too."

He's confused for a moment. "What do you mean?" She leans up and whispers in his ear, and his eyes widen. He stops moving, and so does she. She looks a little worried when he just stares at her for a moment, and then he breathes out, "A baby? Really?"

She shrugs and bites her lip. "Really. We ought to have been a little more careful. I know it's really soon and everything, but –" Anything she was going to say is swallowed up when he kisses her fiercely before picking her up and spinning them around. When he sets her down, she grins as the others look on, confused. "So, that means you're happy, right?"

He presses his forehead to hers. "Happier than I've ever been, Mrs. Erso-Andor."

A moment later, Cassian feels a tug on his trouser leg, and he looks down to see Poe peering up at him curiously. "Uncle Cass, why you pick up Jyn-Jyn?"

He leans down and picks the boy up, planting him on his hip. "How would you like another cousin, Poe?"

Shara is close by when he says the words, and she gasps. "Jyn, you're pregnant?"

Everyone stops talking, and Jyn looks a little embarrassed. "Found out yesterday. And yes. About eight weeks."

After that, they are swarmed with well-wishers. Even Kay awkwardly hugs Cassian, and then it's Maz's turn. He catches Jyn's eye over Maz's head, and he mouths, "I love you," at her.

As Chewie hugs her tight, and Han yells, "Han is a nice name," over the noise that erupts in the pub, Jyn's eyes are bright with tears. She nods, and he can't help but wonder if his parents, Gabriela, and her parents aren't watching them from somewhere far away. He sure hopes that they are – he hopes they all know that he and Jyn are both going to be just fine.

 _Twenty-Five Years Later_

Jyn stands at the sink in the large, rambling old house out on the northeast end of Long Island, washing up from baking a pie to go with their dinner. She looks out the open window, enjoying the warm breeze rolling in off of Long Island Sound, and she wonders why they don't come out here more often. Several of them went in on this giant place together, and they jokingly call it the "MI and Associates Compound."

Everyone is here. Chirrut and Baze live here full time, both in their early 80s and slowing down. They retired nearly fifteen years ago, leaving the running of the security firm to Jyn and Kes. Jyn had finally worn Kes down about five years after the debacle with Krennic. Krennic died two years ago, still in prison for the murder of her parents and insider trading. She'd been proud of herself for basically forgetting about Krennic almost completely until Chirrut told her quietly of the bastard's death. She and Cass had killed a bottle of Claret in celebration of that.

Kes is also here, along with Poe, who just finished a six-year stint as a pilot in the Navy. He recently joined Bodhi in a new venture, a private plane service, Bodhi and Poe being two of three pilots who'll be flying the service with the two Lear jets they bought with investment help from Leia.

Jyn sighs, thinking about Kes, Leia, and Han. They all have had bumpy rides. Leia and Han are still married, but they are on-again, off-again. They spend time together until they drive each other too nuts, then they take a break. It's weird, but it works for them, her still working for her late father's organization and him still at the Falcon with Lando and Chewie.

That aside, though, it didn't work as well for their son, Ben, born not long after the Krennic thing. The boy was always quiet and emotional in addition to being highly intelligent. He avoids their social group almost completely, and he resents his parents to an extent Jyn doesn't comprehend.

He's a successful lawyer, and Jyn hopes that's enough for him and that he one day gets past whatever it is that seems to bother him about all of them. He wasn't pleasant to the other kids growing up, though, especially not to Poe or to the boy adopted years ago by Luke and Bodhi.

Jyn's mind wanders to Kes, and she's hit with a pang of sadness. Over the years, Kes became Jyn's best friend outside of Cassian. She's surprised to feel tears come to her eyes even after all this time, thinking about Shara. She died of ovarian cancer twenty years ago, leaving Kes bereft and closed off and Poe completely heartbroken. She and Cassian let Kes be for a short time, but one day Poe called Jyn and asked her to come over.

The apartment had been a disaster. There were dirty dishes and dirty laundry everywhere, and Kes was sleeping on the sofa because he couldn't bear his room without Shara. Poe, only a second grader, was trying to keep the place together and deal with losing his mom at the same time.

Jyn had immediately activated the group – by some miracle, a place on the same floor as hers and Cassian's apartment had just gone up for sale, and Leia, in honor of her late friend, just outright bought it for Kes and Poe. Within two weeks, the Damerons were their neighbors, and Kes gave in and agreed to come work for MI Security.

Poe flourished, and Kes slowly recovered. Kes threw himself into work, and Jyn saw some of his old fire return. He has never dated or been social with anyone but their group since, though. Several years ago, Jyn overheard Cassian ask him about it. Kes had simply replied that the romantic part of his heart died with Shara, and that he didn't have room for more than Poe and all of them. Jyn understands, and so does Cassian. It's largely unspoken, but they both know that they'd be like Kes – nothing left for anyone else in that way.

Jyn hears a shout, and she grins as she sees a young man run by the window, catching a football well-thrown by Poe. He's the youngest of the brood, Finn, the boy adopted as a baby by Luke and Bodhi twenty-four years ago. He just finished his second year of medical school, fully intending to be a pediatrician like Luke. Jyn adores her nephew – he is kind and warm, one of the sweetest kids she's ever met, not terribly surprising after being raised by Luke and Bodhi. His girlfriend, another medical student named Rose, is here today, too, off fishing with Baze and Maz, an odd but adorable trio.

At the sound of a female laugh, Jyn warms all over. Her eyes land on a willowy young woman, fair skinned but with dark eyes and hair. Jyn sees traces of herself and Cassian in the young woman, but more than anything, she sees her own mother, Lyra, in the girl. She's also taller than Jyn, closer to Cassian's height than to Jyn's.

"Rey!" The girl turns, and Jyn laughs when Finn lobs the football at Rey, who catches it easily, running towards Poe, who catches her in a gentle sort of tackle-hug that Jyn knows would become more physical if they weren't in the company of others. Bodhi, Luke, Kes, Han, Leia (on-again for now), Chirrut, and Kay, seated at the tables nearby, all laugh.

Rey stole the hearts of Cassian and Jyn from the moment she was born, barely nine months after the Krennic thing. Not far behind them, though, was Poe Dameron. Rey's full name is Gabriela Erso Andor, but her her nickname was earned when Poe couldn't say her full name and shortened it to Rey (well, Brey first, but then Rey after Poe didn't like Brey). For whatever reason, the adults all just said OK.

Jyn had a funny feeling from the first time she saw Poe, not quite four, awkwardly cradling the newborn in his little arms, whispering, "Poe protect you always, be you best fwiend." She'd known it was true. Rey hadn't needed much protecting – their little girl could protect herself quite well – but the best friend part held up. When Kes and Poe moved in next to them, Poe was eight and Rey just barely turned five. She went to kindergarten that year, and Kes sent Poe to the same private school with her. They were in that school together until Poe went to college, and you seldom saw one without the other.

Jyn and Cassian had worried that Poe heading off to the University of Virginia to study history and to participate in Naval ROTC would hurt Rey, leave her sad and lonely. Instead, she'd just finished high school a year early, and she'd followed Poe to UVA. She did her Bachelor's degree there, but she also spent a lot of time getting her pilot's license. She qualified for her Commercial Pilot's license this year after working for Leia with Bodhi, essentially interning to get the hours she needed in the air.

Just like her "Uncle Bo," she'd finished her engineering degree but took a different path. Rey is going to be the third pilot working with Bodhi and Poe. She's also been Poe's girlfriend since she was fifteen, him eighteen, with begrudging approval from her and Cassian – they trust Poe, they know how much he adores Rey. They'd just warned him that they would kick his ass if he hurt Rey, and Kes had noted that they'd have to get in line behind him. Later, Kes told Jyn and Cassian that Rey and Poe reminded him of himself and Shara. Jyn agreed then and still does.

Rey was the only one, too, that Ben ever liked of the other kids. Early on, she was friendly to him, but eventually, as they entered their teen years, they became distant after she repeatedly called him out for the way he'd try to monopolize her time and push her away from Poe and Finn – especially Poe.

When Chirrut and Baze announced that they were moving out here full-time a few years ago, Bodhi and Luke moved into the Williamsburg loft, Finn already off at school with Poe and Jyn. Bodhi had offered it to Jyn and Cassian, but they'd said no. They love their apartment, and Cassian's office is in the same place, a short walk away. Having this place as a haven just makes it better. It's not in the chic, popular Hamptons, and they're all good with that. It's much further out the island, where it's quieter and more their speed.

Maz retired fifteen years ago on her 85th birthday, and, now 95, she lives in a small cottage on this property, just steps from the main house. The kids all call her Nana Maz, and she loves it and them all dearly. She has been a welcome surprise in Jyn's life along with Kay, who has another small cottage here.

He started coming out here with them for summer breaks years ago, but his germaphobic, solitary ways led him to quietly ask if he could build a cottage like Maz's. They let him, stunned that he wanted to. He comes out here a lot, maybe more than the rest of them, seemingly enjoying the quiet. Uncle Kay is an odd addition to their little group, but he is amazingly warm to the kids. Cassian says he never would have predicted it, but she can tell that it makes him happy.

X

Cassian enters the house, chuckling after watching Rey break a tackle hug from Poe, using her weight to throw him off-balance and pinning him to the ground. "That's my girl," he mutters under his breath. He gets to the kitchen, and he stops, observing Jyn quietly.

To him, she's as beautiful as that day he met her in the animal shelter; they're both in their early 50s, but he thinks she looks younger than that. His own hair is liberally sprinkled with grey, just like his mustache and goatee. Hers is still mostly brown, but it has a silver streak running from the start of her hair's natural part down through the length of it. They both have crinkles at their eyes and mouths, to him, signs of a good life.

It's rare that he can sneak up on her, but he would confess to a spark of pride when he manages it. This time, he slides his arms around her midsection from behind (a risk, given that she still kickboxes for exercise), and she starts, relaxing immediately and leaning back into his arms. "Penny for your thoughts, querida?"

She nestles her head under his chin. "I like our life, Cass. I never expected to feel this happy and grounded, you know?"

He leans down and presses a kiss to her temple. "I do know. What brought that on, though?"

"Just watching the kids outside. Of course, they aren't really kids anymore, are they?" She rests her arms on his, entwining their fingers.

He shakes his head. "They'll always be the kids to me, even Ben, but no, I guess they aren't. I actually suspect that Poe is going to be asking our blessing on something soon."

As he says that and Jyn nods, Kes comes in. "Of that I have no doubt, my friends. He told me last night that he's going to be using Shara's ring sooner rather than later. He has a nice engagement ring for her too, though."

Jyn and Cassian turn around, and Jyn beats him to responding. "It's not a garish diamond, is it? She'd hate that."

Kes shakes his head, grinning. "My boy knows your girl better than that, Jyn. It's a gold setting to match the wedding band, but the stone is amber he bought on the trip they took last summer. He said one of their favorite places was Estonia and that she loved the amber jewelry. So he managed to slip away and buy a few loose stones of it. It's pretty and unique. I think she'll like it."

"Good boy." Cassian smirks, and he watches Jyn twirl her emerald engagement ring and matching platinum band, the stone he chose because it reminded him of her eyes.

Kes's smile drops. "You're not going to mess with him too much, are you guys?"

Jyn blinks, and Cassian wraps an arm around her waist as he replies, "Of course not, Kes. We know how much he loves her, and we know how much she loves him."

Nodding, Jyn wryly adds, "It's a little sickening, to be honest."

Kes laughs, and Cassian snorts. Cassian squeezes her side. "You're the one he's worried about, you know that, right? Try to behave, bella."

Knowing him well, she replies, "You first." Then she shrugs with a smile. "I'll try, but no promises that I'll succeed."

"Good enough for me. Will be nice to be related for real, you know?" Kes rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

Jyn immediately moves over to Kes, and Cassian follows her. She wraps Kes up in a hug, and Cassian squeezes his shoulder. Jyn stays quiet, but Cassian says, "Usted es mi hermano. Lo has estado por años."

Though her Spanish is still pretty sketchy, Jyn clearly knows what he said, because she adds, "Pretty much forever, Kes Dameron. You think I would've put up with your shit early on if I didn't think of you as my other brother?"

Kes swallows hard, and he squeezes Jyn tight. "I wouldn't have made it, not without you two."

Cassian shakes his head. "Yes, you would have. You would have done it for Poe. But I'm glad you didn't have to." He stares Kes down until Kes nods, releasing Jyn and raising his hands in surrender. "That's better. You're right, though. Officially related will be nice."

They hear the back door slam, and the three of them step slightly apart. Rey walks in a moment later, grinning and flushed. Poe limps in behind her, trailed by Finn, who is laughing uproariously. Poe scowls. "That was a dirty shot, Sunshine."

Rey sticks her tongue out at him. "Then don't grab me next time, Flyboy. You know I always fight back." She goes over to Jyn, standing behind her and perching her chin on Jyn's shoulder. "I mean, my mom taught me that. You've met my mom, right?"

Jyn cocks her head at Poe, and Cassian has to laugh at the exasperated look on the younger man's face. Poe looks at him. "Et tu, Uncle Cass?"

"Hey kid, I don't push back on these two. I'm outnumbered, remember?" Cassian leans against the counter next to Rey and Jyn. "I learned that lesson years ago."

Rey leans up and kisses Cassian's cheek. "My dad, so very wise."

Poe rolls his eyes, but Cassian can see the naked affection in them as he looks at Rey. Cassian then sees Poe bump Finn a little, and Finn clears his throat. "Hey, Peanut. Were you going to show me the mods you did on your bike?"

Cassian sighs. Rey and Poe are both speed junkies. The motorcycles they have, a matched set, scare the shit out of Cassian. Rey just grins and grabs Finn's hand. "It's in the garage. You coming, Flyboy?"

Poe shakes his head. "You two go ahead. I'll be there in a little while."

The younger man has gone a little pale, his usually olive complexion just slightly ashen. Rey doesn't seem to notice, though. She just nods and drags Finn towards the garage. Poe watches her go, swallowing hard. Cassian feels a surge of sympathy, and he finds himself reminded of a toddler who fell in love with a cat and loved to fly. A boy who tried to keep it together after his mom died, but who sobbed inconsolably in Jyn's arms the night she went over to check on them after Shara passed. The young man who worships his daughter.

Looking down at Jyn, Cassian tips his head towards Poe. He can see the same sympathy in her eyes, and she gives him a slight nod. She then turns towards Poe. "You have our blessing, sweetheart. Just ask her."

Poe's eyes widen, and after a beat, he looks at Kes. "Dad, really? You squealed?"

"What? I just greased the skids for you, kid." He grins, but Cassian doesn't miss the softness in Kes's eyes. "You're welcome."

Poe looks at Cassian, obviously aware that he's the most protective one of all of them despite the fact that most people think that title belongs to Jyn. "¿Tengo tu bendición Tío Cass?"

"Sí." Cassian pauses before adding, "Pero si la lastimas, nunca encontrarán tu cuerpo."

They all jump when Rey's voice says, "Dad, why are you telling Poe that they'd never find his body, and how would he hurt me?"

She comes back into the kitchen, hands on her hips, standing next to Poe. Cassian shrugs and points at Poe. "Ask him."

Poe stares at Rey, looking a little ill. The wave of sympathy washes over him again, and Cassian walks over and squeezes Poe's shoulder. "Dad?" Rey looks at him, confused. A moment later, her confusion turns to shock when Poe drops to one knee in front of her. "Flyboy, what are you doing?"

Cassian rejoins Jyn, and she takes his hand and leans her head against his shoulder. A small amount of Poe's usual cockiness returns, and he says, "Well, Sunshine, if you don't know, I think I'm doing it wrong."

They all snort at that, but Rey covers her mouth with one hand, tears welling in her eyes. Poe digs into his pocket, and he holds up a small box. "Gabriela Erso Andor, will you do the honor of marrying me?"

Rey is silent for a moment, and they all jump when Finn yells, "Peanut, put the man out of his misery."

Cassian and Jyn look over, and they see everyone crowded in the doorway. Rey and Poe are both crying a little, and she sinks to her knees in front of him. "Yes, of course. And I promise that I'll never let Dad kill you."

Poe grins, and he opens the box for her. More tears come to Rey's eyes. "From Estonia?" Poe nods, and he slips the beautiful gold and amber ring on Rey's finger. "Thank you, Flyboy."

Everyone claps as Poe pulls Rey to him, kissing her hard. Jyn wraps her arms around Cassian's waist. He looks down and kisses her gently. They then look over at Kes, and he nods and mouths, "Thank you," to both of them.

They nod, and Jyn disentangles herself from Cassian, going over to Kes and hugging him tight again. He hears Jyn softly say, "Shara would love this." Kes nods, burying his face in Jyn's shoulder for a moment.

He looks up then, and Cassian is more than a little choked up when Kes and Jyn separate, Kes going to Poe and Rey, both back on their feet, and hugging them tight. All of the others join in the hug-fest, and Jyn once again retreats to his side. After a moment watching, she softly reiterates her earlier words. "I like our life, Cass. And I'm really glad I let Bodhi goad me into getting a cat."

Leaning down and kissing the top of her head, he murmurs, "Me too, querida. On both counts."

 **And that's it, folks. Sorry it took so long to wrap up, but I hope this was a decently satisfying conclusion. Also yes, in my perfect AU world, Rey is totally the daughter of Jyn and Cassian.**


End file.
